Our Resistance
by NobleAndAncientLineBlack
Summary: Fifth year will be starting soon but this time Danny Potter is determined to stay by Harry's side no matter what. That turns out to be more difficult than she first thought when you throw in vengeful Death Eaters, an oposing ministry and a certain handsome boy who just won't stop invading her mind. SEQUEL TO 'PARALLEL LIVES'
1. 12 Grimmauld Place

_This is the second part of the story of Danny Potter's life. If you haven't read 'Parallel lives' I strongly suggest you do, it might make more sense out of other things in this story._

_I won't be updating this story as frequently as maybe you are used of me. I don't have a lot of spare time with school and everything. But it will be big chapters, 5000 words. And when I say less frequently, I mean you'll still get at least a chapter every 2 weeks. And no matter what I do not abandon a story._

_I hope you'll like it. Feel free to tell me what you think of it. _

Chapter 1

Last year had been a complete disaster. I been conflicted between my life in France and my life in England, but Harry had also seen Voldemort return and fought against him. That leads us to the biggest problem yet. Voldemort was back. And the worst part was, no one knew. Why is that? Because our stupid Minister of Magic refuses to believe my brother. Even though Dumbledore stuck up for him and told the press the exact same story, people are under the assumption that my brother and Dumbledore are lying. You should see the headlines in the Daily Prophet these days. It's always about this stupid theory that Harry is a liar who might be losing his mind.

When the articles first appeared, I told my dad that they should let me tell my side of the story. I had seen everything that had happened in the graveyard that night. But my dad, and Dumbledore, agreed that it would be a bad idea to speak of the strange connection I have with my brother. They say they don't want Voldemort to be aware of it because he might use it to his advantage but frankly, I think dad just doesn't want another child called a liar in the newspapers. It would make me sound like a lunatic as well.

England was hit with a heat wave this summer and it made it almost impossible for us to do anything that required energy. Me and Harry mostly filled our days lying around. My parents however were always busy doing something we weren't allowed to know. My dad said it was about his work so it was confidential but if that was the truth, my mother had no business with it either. She, uncle Remus and uncle Sirius were definitely involved in whatever it was. I had once asked my mother to tell me the truth but she had told me she couldn't tell me, not because I wasn't allowed to know but because Harry shouldn't know and I could not keep anything from him. So I told her to not tell me. That doesn't mean I haven't been helping Harry trying to figure it out. The only thing we've come up with so far is that it must have something to with Voldemort and… that's about it.

"Do you want to go to the park or something?" I asked my brother after lying around for a few hours.

He shrugged so I pulled him to his feet and outside. Harry has been rather depressed lately and I knew exactly who to blame for it. His two great friends hadn't written to him once all summer. Harry felt alone. Not just because our parents had hardly been home this summer or because his friends had forgotten to write to him but mainly because the world who had adored my brother as their hero for the past fifteen years had suddenly made him the outcast of society.

"Did you tell mom and dad yet?" Harry asked me when we made our way over to the set of swings in the park.

"Not yet. They've been really busy lately." I shrugged.

"You'll have to tell them soon because you'll still have to ask for Dumbledore's permission." Harry said.

I didn't think that would be the hard part. Surely Dumbledore would also see the advantage for Harry if I would attend Hogwarts with him. I could be his own personal body guard.

Me and Harry sat down on the swings, watching the muggle children play in the park. Sometimes I wonder if maybe things wouldn't be easier if we were muggles. But then we wouldn't have magic and I don't think I'd ever want to give that up. We were looking at a few kids who were messing around when suddenly the sky went dark.

"Finally, a little rain!" I said relieved but Harry didn't join me.

He was staring at the sky as if he expected Voldemort himself to drop down.

"Harry? What's wrong?"

"I don't know, I just have this feeling that something is off." He mumbled.

Things couldn't be that bad since I didn't feel any danger at all. Or maybe the incessant heat had confused my sixth sense.

I was able to get Harry so far to leave the park. It was probably going to rain soon anyway and even though I've really been waiting for that moment, I didn't feel like getting caught in the rain.

I had been trying to distract my brother with a few anecdotes of last school year but to no avail. He seemed very on edge as if he really did expect some Death Eater hiding in the bushes, ready to scare the hell out of us. Finally I kind of gave up on my mission and we walked in silence. When we arrived at an abandoned part of the town, Harry suddenly stopped.

"Do you feel that?" Harry whispered to me.

I was about to ask him what he was talking about till I felt it as well. I was suddenly incredibly cold but the strange thing about it was that it felt as if the coldness was coming from inside of me. I also felt sad, so incredibly sad all of the sudden. It was like I was having an acute depression and boy, was I depressed! It felt like there was no reason in the entire world to even feel a shred of happiness anymore.

"Dementors." Harry whispered.

What? That's not possible! Dementors aren't allowed anywhere out of Azkaban with a few exceptions like Harry's third year at Hogwarts. But what would dementors be doing in Godric's Hollow?

But Harry was right. When we arrived at an abandoned tunnel we had to go through to get home, I was so cold my blood was almost turning into ice. And that's when I saw it. A dementor. I had never seen one up close and I suddenly remembered why I never felt the need to either. The thing was hideous and I immediately associated it with death. It really just consisted out a black shredded cloak and a lot of unhappiness. I had my wand in my pocket but there is no way I could ever summon a patronus and Harry was just as frozen to the spot as I was.

It had noticed us. It came towards us at such a high speed, I didn't have the time to grab my wand. I tried but it fell on the floor in my attempt. The dementor flew right by me and went straight to my brother. The cloak revealed a hideous grey hand that grabbed my brother's throat and lifted him in the air. I dropped to the floor to find my wand but it took me a lot longer because suddenly there was another dementor hunched over me. It didn't just look like death, it smelled like it as well.

Everything around me became a blur. All I could focus on was the hideous creature trying to suck all the happiness and warmth out of me. I had my wand in hand again but there was nothing I could do.

"What is going on in here?" A voice called out from the distance.

I had tried to open my eyes before but the dementor's presence had made that nearly impossible. I was able to do it now though. The dementor was suddenly gone. Well, not completely gone. It had just moved on to another victim. The voice that had called out to us belonged to the muggle boy lying on the floor right now, shivering and not knowing why he suddenly felt like all the happiness was being sucked out of him.

"Expecto Patronum!"

Harry had finally found his wand and summoned a patronus. The stag had already chased away the dementor that had been gripping Harry's throat and was now charging towards the second dementor. This one let go of his grip on the muggle boy and fled as well.

"Don't put that away." I told Harry when I noticed him trying to put his wand back in his pocket. "They might come back."

I made my way over to the shivering muggle boy. He was still lying on the floor as if the dementor had not left. I put my hand on his shoulder but it's like he couldn't feel it because he didn't even respond in the slightest.

"We have to get him out of here."

Me and Harry pulled him to his feet but damn, that was one heavy boy. I threw one arm around my shoulder and the other one around Harry's. We didn't have any idea about where this boy could live. We didn't have any contact with the muggles in the neighbourhood and for all we knew he could be from anywhere. We decided to take him to our house. Dad would know what to do next.

"Why didn't you summon your patronus?" Harry asked me on our way back home.

"Because I can't summon one yet, Harry. It's just fog and I was having a hard time concentrating on a happy memory."

"You can summon one! I've seen it myself, it's the form of an eagle."

"Cut it out, Harry. I've told you before that it wasn't me." I snapped, annoyed that he still thought that his hallucination had been true.

We walked in silence to our house. I just hope our parents will be home because that has been rare lately. They were always off doing some secretive things that we weren't allowed to know about.

I had been right. When we got to our house, all the lights were off and no one was there. Shit, what were we going to do now?

"Put him on the couch." Harry told me when we entered the house.

Harry went to the kitchen and left me all alone with the muggle. It was quite the struggle to carry the boy all by myself to the couch but somehow I managed. It did make me kind of pissed off at Harry though. He's a guy. He should be doing the heavy lifting instead of putting all our stuff in an endless bag. Wait, he's doing what?!

"What are you doing?" I asked him.

"I'm hiding some stuff."

"Why?"

"He's a muggle, Danny. I don't want to explain to him why we have brooms hanging on the wall or what a Probity Probe is."

"A dementor just tried to suck the soul out of his body, I'm pretty sure that will be his first question."

"Muggles can't see dementors. We'll just tell him that he slipped and hit his head."

Even though I wasn't sure if that would actually work, Harry had obviously put some thought into it. It might work. I just hope our parents will be back by the time the boy wakes up.

"What were dementors doing there anyway?" I finally asked Harry once he hid all the magical objects in our house which was more than I suspected.

"I don't know. It doesn't even make any sense. Dementors aren't allowed to leave Azkaban."

He was right. It made absolutely no sense that two dementors went for a stroll and just happened to run into Harry Potter. That was no coincidence. Those dementors were there for a reason and I'd bet my life on it that the reason for their presence was the boy sitting in front of me. But what had been the point? What could the ministry have to gain with giving Harry the dementor's kiss? It is the ministry who controls, or is supposed to control them. He might have made things a little difficult for them with telling everyone the truth when they are persistent on living a lie, but they would never try to kill Harry. The whole situation didn't make any sense.

After sitting there for a few minutes, thinking of all the possible reasons two dementors had shown up in Godric's Hollow, we heard the front door open. Harry jumped up immediately and rushed to the door. I heard him telling our parents what had happened but I was distracted by the moans coming from the boy on our couch.

"Euhm... I think he's waking up!" I called to my family.

My mother was the first to enter the room and quickly sat down next to the boy who was stretching out right now. Thank god, mom was here. She speaks the language of muggles, to me and the rest of my family it's just plain gibberish.

"Where am I?" The boy blinked at his surroundings.

"You're at our home. My name is Lily Potter and these are my children." Mom pointed to me and Harry. "They found you on the streets. You apparently slipped and hit your head quite hard."

So I guess we were going with that story. Let's hope the boy's not too clever.

"I saw you." He looked at me now. "You were lying on the floor."

"Oh, you must have hit your head pretty hard." My dad played along.

"But I saw you." The boy insisted.

"Yes, you did. I found you, don't you remember?"

The boy was really confused now. He didn't seem to believe either of us but his head was hurting due to falling on the floor when the dementor attacked him. He could only assume we were telling the truth.

"Where do you live? I'll take you home." My dad proposed.

The boy gave my father the address which was only a few blocks away. When my dad opened the front door to the boy, he asked my dad where our car was. Well, we don't have a car. Who needs muggle transportation when you have things like flu powder and apparition? My mom told him it was being repaired and we should all be grateful for his headache making him buy it so easily.

My dad had only been gone for two seconds when an owl knocked on our window. That would have been hard to explain, even with the boy's head ache. My mother went up to the window and let the animal in. To her, mine and Harry's surprise the owl didn't drop his letter in front of her but flew to my brother.

"Whose is it?" I asked eagerly.

I was kind of hoping that one of his friends had finally decided to write to him though I can't say I recognise the owl from former years.

Before Harry could pick up the letter the owl had dropped at his feet, the envelop started trembling. What's up with that? I've only seen a howler do that but since my mother is standing right here, who would send Harry a howler?

"Dear Mr Potter..."

The freaking envelop had a face! Like literally a face! It had eyes, a nose and deep purple lips. The letter was talking to Harry. So not really a howler but a similar concept.

"The ministry has received intelligence that at 6.23 this evening, you performed the Patronus charm in the presence of a muggle. As a clear violation of the decree for the reasonable restriction of underage sorcery, you are now hereby expelled from Hogwarts, school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Hoping that you are well, Mafalda Hopkirk."

And then the letter fell to the ground. Just like that, as if it had not just brought to Harry what might as well be the most devastating news in his life.

"Can they do that?" I asked my mom.

Harry wouldn't ask her. He was too busy staring off into space, probably imagining what his life would turn out like without a proper magical education.

"They most certainly can." My mother sighed.

"But Harry only did it because he was trying to save us, including the muggle."

"I know that, sweetheart, and we'll make sure that Harry will go to Hogwarts in September."

"How?" Harry suddenly turned to us.

"Your father will fix this. Just wait and see."

I wanted to believe that. My dad was a great man, he would get Harry out of this mess.

"But for now, you two go pack your things."

"What? Why?" I asked her.

"Just do as I say, Danny." She sighed.

There was no point arguing with my mother if she didn't want to. I pulled Harry with me up the stairs to go pack our things though I have no idea where we're going and what to take with me.

"I'm not going to Hogwarts." Harry whispered in his zombie state once we reached his room.

"Of course you are! Didn't you hear what mom just said? Dad will fix this."

"What if he can't?"

"He can. I am not transfer schools so I can go to Hogwarts alone this year. Now snap out of it and pack your things. I am not going to do it for you."

Harry eventually started packing his things and I could go to my room. I pulled my empty trunk from underneath my bed and started throwing all kinds of things in it: clothes, books, parchment and quills. Since I had no idea where I was going, I decided to practically take everything with me. All the running around in my room would not be necessary if I could just use magic. It's such a stupid law that underage wizards can't use magic outside of school. If that law didn't exist, Harry wouldn't be in trouble now and my trunk would have been packed in a second. The ministry just wants to make teenage life as hard as possible.

"Harry! Danny! Are you ready?" My dad's voice called us downstairs.

I didn't know about Harry but I was done. I had somehow managed to get all my stuff in the trunk without using a shrinking spell. That is quite the accomplishment. When I practically tumbled down the stairs I saw that the other members of my family were already waiting for me. How come Harry was here? I came down as quickly as possible. Well, maybe I shouldn't have stopped to put on some make-up. But I didn't know where I was going, there might be cute boys. Oh yes, I am single and ready to mingle. Isn't that a muggle saying or something like that?

"Are we using flu powder?" Harry asked, dreading the possibility of having to side-apparate with our parents.

"No, we're apparating." My father told us while he was already making his way over to the door after he shrank all our trunks so they'd fit into his pocket.

Harry almost paled visibly. I'm not a big fan of apparating either but after a while I got used to it. I don't know why but somehow it keeps feeling like the first time for Harry. Needless to say he doesn't like apparating one bit.

"When will you tell us where we are going?" I asked my parents when we all stood outside.

"Soon." My dad shrugged off my question.

I knew I'd probably know where we were going when we were actually there. I wanted to know it now. But my parents both didn't seem willing to give me an answer so there was nothing left to do than just take my mother's hand and apparate with her.

Our parents finally stopped at suburb in London, or at least that's where I'm guessing we are. I might have an idea where we are but I'm still clueless on the why. Harry looked almost green by now so there's no way he'll ask our parents the reason we're here. My dad pulled a note out of his pocket and handed it to me.

_Headquarter of the Order of the Phoenix, _

_12 Grimmauld Place_

_Albus Dumbledore_

Okay, the note wasn't a great help either. There wasn't even a number twelve at this place which I assume is Grimmauld place. But before I could even say any of that stuff to my parents, the houses started moving. No, I'm serious. Number eleven and thirteen seemed to be making way for another building.

"What the-" I started but never finished that sentence when I noticed the look on my mother's face.

I take it back. There is a number twelve, it's just really well hidden with a magic I do not know. My father pulled me and Harry along to the front door of the house. I might be a little paranoid but going in the magically hidden and very gloomy house, does not sound like a very good idea. Who knows what gruesome things it holds? I'll pass.

Unfortunately that didn't seem to be one of the options. My dad went up to the scary house to ring the door bell. What kind of messed up plan does he have?

It took a while before someone came to open the door and to my surprise that someone was uncle Remus. Now I'm pretty sure he didn't live here the last time we went to visit him.

"Come on in. Everyone is already here."

Both my parents quickly entered the house but me and Harry still didn't seem too excited about entering the spooky house. There have got to be some nasty and pissed off ghosts in this building. It definitely looks that way.

"What are you two waiting for?" Uncle Remus asked before pulling us inside.

I felt kind of trapped once he closed the door behind us. It was very dark and narrow in the hall of this house. It also smelled of old people. Where had our parents taken us?

"Mudbloods! Half-breeds! Blood-traitors! Dishonouring the house of my fathers!" A loud voice screeched through the almost abandoned hall.

It scared the wits out of me, especially because I had no idea where the wailing voice came from. Suddenly a door at the end of the hallway opened and revealed uncle Sirius. What, he's here too?

"Oh, shut up, you old bat!" he shouted angrily.

For a moment I actually thought he was screaming at my mother in such an awful way but of course he'd never do that. No, he appeared to be shouting against a portrait on the wall. The portrait showed an ugly and indeed old woman who looked slightly crazy by the way she was screaming.

"You!" The woman screeched at uncle Sirius. "You brought these traitors and mudbloods in my house! How dare you!"

Her voice faded out once uncle Remus, uncle Sirius and my dad were able to close the curtains covering her portrait. What the hell just happened here?

"What was that?" Harry spoke.

"That was my charming mother." Sirius sneered.

Mother? Sure, I know everyone has a mother but I've never heard him talk about her. For a good reason probably because I know he left his home when he was sixteen and moved in with dad's family. By the looks of it she wasn't too keen on him either.

"Harry!"

A chubby woman came out of the same door as Sirius had with a big smile on her face, opening her arms to my brother.

"Mrs Weasley." Harry smiled at her before he let her hug him.

I knew there was something familiar about that woman. I did only meet her once so it's normal I couldn't immediately place her face.

"Your parents warned us that you were coming so we prepared rooms for you. You'll be sharing a room with Ron since there aren't that many rooms left."

Please don't tell me the entire Weasley family is present in this house as well. The twins I can deal with but not all the other members.

"You'll have your own room, Danny." She smiled at me.

Good, at least I wouldn't have to share a closed off space with Ginny Weasley. The girl is absolutely dull and the way she stares at Harry all the time is also kind of creepy.

Before we could ask anyone where the hell we were, Mrs Weasley shooed us upstairs. All the adults were entering the room she and Sirius had come from as if they were going to have some secret meeting. There's a big chance that's the truth.

Harry entered the first door on the left on the second floor while I took the third one on the right. It was a small room with nothing more than a bed against the right wall and a closet opposite of it. I can understand why uncle Sirius left this place. It's absolutely depressing.

Somehow my trunk had made it in this room and for that I was grateful. Puengi, my owl was also present in this room. How had she gotten here? I was taking all my clothes out of my trunk and placing them in the closet when I got interrupted by a screaming voice.

"SO YOU HAVEN'T BEEN IN THE MEETINGS, BIG DEAL! YOU'VE STILL BEEN HERE, HAVEN'T YOU? YOU'VE STILL BEEN TOGETHER! ME, I'VE BEEN STUCK IN MY HOUSE FOR A MONTH! AND I'VE HANDLED MORE THAN YOU TWO'VE EVER MANAGED AND DUMBLEDORE KNOWS IT – WHO SAVED THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE? WHO GOT RID OF RIDDLE? WHO SAVED BOTH YOUR SKINS FROM THE DEMENTORS?"

Harry was shouting at the top of his lungs. I was surprised my mother hadn't come up yet to silence him. I was glad he was shouting at them though. They hadn't been very good friends to him this summer and they totally deserved to hear it from him. But the fact that he just said how awful it had been to be stuck in a house with me all summer, stung.

I dropped the rest of my things and made my way over to the room Harry's shouts were coming from.

"WHO HAD TO GET PAST DRAGONS AND SPHINXES AND EVERY OTHER FOUL THING LAST YEAR? WHO SAW HIM COME BACK? WHO HAD TO ESCAPE FROM HIM? ME!"

I had reached the door but I wasn't really sure if I wanted to go inside. Harry hardly gets mad, I've never heard him shout at someone like this before. I'm the one with a temper in the family. I have that from our mom but apparently Harry has it too.

"BUT WHY SHOULD I KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON? WHY SHOULD ANYONE BOTHER TO TELL ME WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING?"

"Harry, we wanted to tell you, we really did-" Granger tried to get a word in between but there was no stopping Harry.

I just stood in the doorway, watching my brother yell at his friends. I did not want to interfere with that.

"CAN'T'VE WANTED IT THAT MUCH, CAN YOU, OR YOU'D HAVE SENT ME AN OWL, BUT _DUMBLEDORE MADE YOU SWEAR_-"

What did Dumbledore have to do with all this? Was he the reason Harry's friends didn't write to him at all this summer?

"Well, he did-"

Weasley should really learn to keep his goddamn mouth shut because it's not helping with Harry's rage at all.

"FOUR WEEKS I'VE BEEN STUCK AT MY HOUSE, NICKING PAPERS OUT OF BINS TO TRY AND FIND OUT WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON - "

Harry did what?!

"I SUPPOSE YOU'VE BEEN HAVING A REAL LAUGH, HAVEN'T YOU, ALL HOLED UP HERE TOGETHER – "

I was starting to actually feel bad for his friends because the girl was almost in tears. Maybe I should tell Harry to calm down. I had been just as clueless about everything as he had been and you don't see me making people cry. But it were two pops that silenced him. Fred and George had appeared completely out of the blue on Harry's both sides and almost gave Granger a heart attack in the process.

"Hello, Harry," George grinned. "We thought we heard your dulcet tones."

"You don't want to bottle up your anger like that, Harry, let it all out." Fred grinned as well. "There might be a couple of people fifty miles away who didn't hear you."

I almost snorted but figured out in time that Harry wouldn't appreciate it. I didn't want him to start yelling at me.

"I'm guessing you both passed your apparition tests?" I made my presence known.

"Yes, we did, Danny." They both grinned at me.

"And they use it for everything. You could have just come down the stairs, it takes only half a minute." Weasley sighed. Clearly he was already tired of them apparating all the time.

"Anyway, if you're done with shouting," George began.

"Want to hear something a little more interesting?" Fred finished.

They told us about expendable ears. They're like ears on a string and they've all been using it to listen to the meetings of the Order of the Phoenix. That's apparently where we are, at their head quarters. It's an organisation they also formed during the wizarding war, to fight Voldemort. It made only sense to start it up again once Voldemort returned. I guess this is where are parents had been going to the entire time.

Fred and George treated us to a little demonstration about how they've been eavesdropping on the meetings. They used one of those expendable ears and lowered them down from the staircase to the door all the adults were behind, doing God knows what.

"If anyone has the right to know, it's Harry. If it weren't for Harry, we wouldn't even know Voldemort was back." We heard a voice say through our end of the expandable ear. I recognised the voice as uncle Sirius'. This invention is amazing. "He's not a child, Lily."

"He's not an adult either." Our mom spoke.

Someone else got involved in the conversation but I couldn't hear what they were saying. I didn't recognise this voice, but Harry did.

"Snape's part of the order?" He asked the twins.

How can that be? Only last year me and Harry found out that he had been a Death Eater. Oh, but we also found out he had been a spy for the light side during the wizarding war. I guess he was doing that once again.

"What's that cat doing?" I suddenly asked.

This big red cat with a flat face was sitting at the bottom of the stairs and was showing an unhealthy interest in the ear.

"Crookshanks, no!" Granger tried but to no avail.

The cat had ripped the ear of the cord and was chewing on it as if it were some kind of toy. There goes the eavesdropping plan.

"Granger, I hate your cat." I said.

"Bad Crookshanks." She told her bloody cat.

And that was that. The twins were going to make a new one but that would take time so we couldn't hear what they were saying downstairs anymore. I guess we'll just have to wait until they come out and tell us. Because they bloody well should tell us.


	2. Order of the Phoenix

_Wow, so many reviews for my first chapter of part two. I'm so glad you all liked it. I want to thank everyone who read it, follows it, faved it and especially the people who reviewed: __**avengeme, leafstone, xXMizz Alec VolturiXx, DracoM BlaizeZ, bellacullenstar07, ThatGreenEyedGreek **__and __**Secret world! **__You guys really made my day._

_Hope you like this chapter as well. _

Chapter 2

"Dinner." A voice finally rang after several hours of doing nothing.

I had unpacked everything else but that was soon finished. Then I started reading my book 'Conjuring a patronus' that uncle Remus had given to me last year. Because of the Triwizard Tournament I never had the chance to finish it, thus I still couldn't perform a decent patronus charm. But that got kind of boring after a while so I had eventually decided to look around the dark house. Everywhere I went there was something creepy. The stairs had house elves' heads adorning the sides. Kind of creepy if you ask me. There were a lot of paintings in the hallways as well, from all the members of the Black family. But I didn't see Sirius' portrait hanging anywhere. Maybe his mother removed it after he ran away.

When Mrs Weasley called us all down, I was the last to arrive in the kitchen because I had been all the way up on the fourth floor.

"Hey there Danny. I hope my mother didn't give you too much of a fright earlier." Sirius smiled at me from the head of the table.

"No, she's absolutely adorable. I can see where you got your charm." I grinned back at him.

I went over to hug him, and uncle Remus afterwards. I didn't know any of the other people so I just kind of waved lamely at them. Harry was sitting with his friends so I just sat down next to my father, in front of a woman with bright pink hair who kept changing the features of her face as if it was nothing.

"Nymphadora Tonks is an metmorphmagus." My dad pointed towards the woman.

"Don't call me that! My name is Tonks, just Tonks." The woman with the pig snout snapped at him.

Metomorphmaguses are rare. I had never met one before so I was quite fascinated by the way she could change her face into anything she wanted.

"It appears your hearing will be before the entire Wizengamot." Uncle Sirius told Harry which definitely took my attention away from the metamorphmagus in front of me.

"I don't understand. What does the Ministry of Magic's got against me?" Harry asked.

I knew he was going to ask this question anyway. I didn't know about the Order of the Phoenix and what my parents did the first weeks of summer any more that he did. But I did know what the Daily Prophet said about him and what the Ministry's opinion was about my brother. He doesn't because we never showed him any of the papers.

"Show him." Mad-eye Moody interfered. "He'll find out soon enough."

Everyone was silent when uncle Remus handed Harry today's newspaper of which I knew had the head-line 'The boy who lies?' since I had been the one to throw it away this morning before Harry could read any of it.

"He's been attacking Dumbledore as well." My dad said. "Fudge is using all his power, including his influence on the Daily Prophet to smear anyone who claims the Dark Lord has returned."

"Why?" Harry, sweet naive Harry, asked us.

"The minister thinks that Dumbledore is after his job." Uncle Remus sighed.

"But that's insane. No one in their right mind would ever believe-"

"Exactly the point." I interrupted Harry who only now seemed to realise there were other people than him, dad and uncle Remus in the room. "Fudge isn't in his right mind. It's being ruled by fear."

"You knew?" Harry turned to me.

The look of utter betrayal on his face made me feel guilty. I should not feel guilty. I was just as much in the dark as he had been about this whole order thing.

"I didn't know about all of this." I gestured towards our surroundings. "But I do read the papers, right before I burn them in the fireplace."

" Fear makes people do terrible things, Harry." My dad called back his attention. "The last time Voldemort gained power it almost destroyed everything we all hold most dear. I'm afraid the minister will do anything to avoid facing that truth."

"We think Voldemort wants to build up his army again." Sirius spoke up. "Fourteen years ago he had huge numbers under his command and not just witches and wizards but all kinds of dark creatures. He's been recruiting heavily and we've attempted to do the same. But gathering followers isn't the only thing he's interested in. We believe Voldemort may be after something."

"Sirius!" Moody suddenly said as a clear warning to him that he should not continue. I saw the same warning in my mother's eyes.

"Something he didn't have last time." Sirius continued.

"You mean like a weapon?" Harry asked him.

"No. That's enough. He's just a boy, Sirius."

My mother got up from her seat and snatched the paper out of Harry's hands.

"You say much more and you might as well induct him to the Order straight away." She snapped at Sirius in the way only a defensive mother can.

"Good, I want to join." Harry said without realising the tension between our mom and uncle Sirius. "If Voldemort is raising an army I want to fight."

Both Sirius and dad got this kind of proud look on their faces when Harry said this but I'm on my mother's side here. Harry will certainly get the chance to duel this year again now that Voldemort has returned but making him join the Order is like ordering his tomb already. You don't let a fifteen year old boy fight in a resistance where grown up men risk their lives. Had all the men (and boy) in this room fallen on their head?

"Dinner's over. Go to your room." My mother snapped at my brother.

"What?!"

Harry looked over at our dad for support but he had noticed how upset this conversation had made our mom so he told Harry to just do what she said.

"Can you believe her? Dad and Sirius were just going to tell me everything and then she treats me like a child." Harry ranted when we walked up the stairs.

"You are a child." I said.

His friends looked at me as if I had just done the unthinkable. I interrupted Harry's rant. Harry himself stared at me as if he was sincerely surprised that I didn't agree with him on this.

"I am not, most definitely not when it comes to Voldemort. I fought him, I saw him return-" He said to me what he had told his friends a few hours ago but I wasn't going to listen until I cried.

"I know. I saw it too. You know what else I saw? You almost dying because you were not ready to go up against the darkest wizard of all times. The people downstairs aren't even ready to go up against him. The reason you're still standing here has everything to do with luck and nothing with your maturity." I snapped at him before I left for my room.

Why didn't he understand my point of view, my mother's point of view? We weren't trying to be annoying, we were trying to protect him. Partially from himself.

I woke up fairly early the next day. I couldn't sleep well in this scary house anyway. When I got downstairs there weren't a lot of people. The only ones there were Mrs Weasley who was making breakfast for everyone and Uncle Sirius who was trying his very best to annoy her.

"Hey Danny." He smiled at me once I entered the kitchen.

I greeted him and Mrs Weasley before sitting down at the table in front of him.

"You're up early." He said while sipping from his coffee.

"Couldn't sleep anymore." I shrugged.

"Would you like some eggs and bacon?" Mrs Weasley asked me and before I could even answer her she was already piling it all on a plate for me.

I pulled the paper uncle Sirius had been reading to me, dreading what the title of it would be this time. Like I expected, Harry's face was once again adorning the cover. But something else caught my attention. This was written in the left corner:

_Interview with Triwizard Tournament Champion Cedric Diggory about what really happened during the third task: p. 8_

I quickly turned all the pages until I got to the interview with Cedric.

_RS: What happened between you and Harry Potter when you were in the maze? _

_CD: We both reached for the cup that would bring us back to where all the students were gathered. I don't remember what happened after that. Only waking up in the hospital ward. _

_RS: Mr Potter claims to have seen He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named with you. Can you confirm that?_

_CD: No._

_RS: Are you saying Mr Potter is a liar?_

_CD: Yes, he is. What I know is that no one other than him saw He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named supposedly return._

_RS: There you have the truth, people. The boy who Harry Potter said to have saved from He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, never saw him. Harry Potter is clearly making things up for his own benefit._

What? What!? How could Cedric do such a thing? He owed his life to Harry and that's how he's thanking him?! Screw Cedric Diggory!

"Did you read this?" I almost spat in anger.

"The interview with the Diggory kid? Yes, I read it." Uncle Sirius sighed.

"How can he say Harry is a liar?! Without Harry he'd be six feet under right now!" I raged.

"I'm sure Rita Skeeter twisted the interview around."

Maybe so but that still doesn't change the fact that he didn't believe Harry. I do think Cedric never actually said that Harry was a liar but he clearly didn't stand up for him either. Traitor!

"We should have anticipated this though. Cedric is the only eye witness but he never actually saw anything because he was knocked out. We should have known the ministry would use this to make it sound like Harry was making everything up."

How could he be so calm? My blood was boiling with anger. I could not believe Cedric...no, Diggory would turn his back like this on Harry. If I ever see his traitorous face again, I'll hex him into oblivion.

"What does the paper say?"

I hadn't even heard Harry enter the kitchen. He looked awful and it made me think that the reason he was up this early was because he had another nightmare. He seems to be having a lot of those again.

Harry came to sit next to me and tried to look at the article I had been reading. I didn't want him to feel as betrayed by Diggory as I did right now so I did the only sensible thing and burned the paper to ashes.

"What did you do that for?"

"There wasn't anything interesting anyway." I shrugged before munching on my bacon.

There wasn't much Harry could do about it, I had already burned the paper. So he just grabbed his own breakfast.

"You look terrible by the way." I told him. "Did you have another nightmare?"

"No." He said but the flicker in his eyes told me he was lying. "I just didn't sleep well, I kept thinking about the hearing."

"Don't worry too much about that. It'll be fine. Once I tell them the dementors-"

"What do you mean once you tell them?" Sirius suddenly asked me. "You don't really think you'll be attending his hearing, do you?"

"Of course I am. How else will they believe Harry only used magic to protect the muggle?"

"You're not going." He told me firmly.

"You can't tell me what I can and can't do."

I know it was incredibly immature of me but I still stumped my foot loudly on the ground because I wouldn't get what I wanted.

"No, but your parents do and they decided last night that the only one accompanying Harry tomorrow is Prongs."

This is so unfair! I crossed my arms and stared angrily at my uncle for the remaining time.

"But how will the ministry know that I'm not lying if Danny isn't there to back me up?" Harry eventually asked Sirius carefully.

Exactly my point!

"Don't you worry." He smiled. "It's all been taken care of."

I stayed angry for the rest of the morning. Especially when my father came downstairs, I couldn't help but glare angrily at him. He was after all the one who had decided I couldn't go.

"Danny, Hermione and Ginny will clean up the drawing room today."Mrs Weasley said once everyone had finished their breakfast.

Wait, a minute. Clean up? I wasn't told anything about having to work around here.

"Did you really think you'd be allowed to sit on your lazy bum the entire day?" Uncle Sirius grinned at me when he saw my discontent with having to clean up.

I was still rather angry at him so I just huffed and glared.

"Everyone is helping out with making this house a little... better."My mother said. "And that includes you, Danny."

That's why I spend the morning cleaning up a filthy room with know-it-all and Miss obsessed stalker. They were talking about people I didn't know from Hogwarts so their conversation was even more boring to me than usually. But their conversation did make me realise I still hadn't told my parents of my desire to go to Hogwarts next year instead of returning to Beauxbatons. I would have to talk to them about it soon. I decided to do it later on today.

I knocked on my parents' bedroom door when I knew they were there.

"Danny!" My dad smiled at me. "Trying to escape having to clean up?

"Actually I wanted to talk to you and mom about something."

His eyebrows rose in surprise but he didn't say anything more. He just moved aside so I could enter their room. Their bedroom was huge and decorated beautifully. It's absolutely nothing like the little cell I slept in. I'm thinking this might have been the master bedroom, the room where Sirius' parents slept. I wouldn't want this room after knowing what kind of people occupied it before me.

"What is it, Danny?" My mother asked from her spot on the side of the bed.

"I've thought about it really long and hard and I've decided I want to go to Hogwarts next year." I said quickly.

Dad's eyebrows rose even higher and mom just wore that unreadable expression.

"Is it because of what happened last year?" She finally asked.

I nodded. Of course it was about that. What other reason could I have to leave all my friends behind and go to a school where I'll never really be just Danny.

"You don't have to do that, Danny." My dad said.

"But I want to."

I really did because there's no way Harry is going back to that school without me.

"And won't it make you feel a little better knowing I'll be with Harry all the time?"

It didn't. I could see it in their expressions. They were afraid that if I'd be in England, at Hogwarts, I would be in just as much danger as Harry.

"Please?" I almost plead with them. "I can't let him go alone."

I could see my father's resolve breaking down but my mother looked at me as if nothing in the world could convince her that this was the right thing.

"Come on, mom. I've been with Harry the past year as well and nothing happened to me."

The moment I said it, I realised she could shoot my argument down the second I uttered it. Because I was wrong. So many things have happened to me last year. I might not have been a competitor in the tournament but I was there. I witnessed it all, experienced it all even if it was all through Harry.

"Nothing happened?!" She shouted. "Nothing?! You left your body, Danny! Do you have any idea what this strange connection between you and Harry means? You have no idea and neither do we. The safest place for you to be this year is far away from Hogwarts."

But what she meant was far away from Harry.

I was angry at her for that comment. For her not wanting what I wanted. I had expected them to do what everybody else does: put Harry before me. Put his life before mine. But they don't and it throws me off. And it angers me.

I slam the door almost off its hinges in my anger. My father yells my name but I'm so angry while I know I don't even have the right to be. They want to protect me from whatever might happen at Hogwarts this year, because they love me, because I'm just as much their child as Harry is.

My parents' room is only on the first floor, closest to the hall so it comes to no surprise that other people have heard the argument between me and my parents. Harry, Sirius, Remus and the Weasleys have gathered in the hallway to see what was going on the first floor.

"Danny, what-"

But I don't listen to whatever Harry is trying to say to me. I rip open the front door and walk out in the soft summer breeze. We weren't allowed to leave the house, that was the first rule they told us when we came here and so far I've respected it even though I crave a scenery other than the depressing house. I walk down the steps and luckily no one is dense enough to try and stop me.

After twenty minutes of wandering the streets I realised how ridiculous my little outburst was. I should be delighted that my mother wanted to protect me, instead I get angry at her. I was almost too embarrassed to return but I knew it was inevitable. Luckily there isn't some kind of magic that prevents me from going back to the house and I simply ring the doorbell.

It's Mrs Weasley who opens the door for me. The way she looks at me makes it clear that if she was my mother I'd be in for a serious punishment. But she's not my mother and I really wish she'd stop pretending she's Harry's as well.

"Dinner is served in half an hour." She tells me.

I nod and make my way up to my room but when the half hour is up, I don't go downstairs. Mostly because I don't want to face all their disapproving looks, also because if I pretend nothing happened mom and dad will drop the subject and I'll just be going to Beauxbatons again this year. I can't let that happen.

So instead I only come out of my room around 2 o'clock in the morning because my stomach won't stop screaming for food. I tiptoe downstairs and I'm already wishing I had just stayed in my room. This house is absolutely terrifying in the middle of the night, dark and abandoned. But my starving stomach leads me to the kitchen over the creaking stairs anyway.

After I filled my tummy again with what was left of tonight's dinner, I was putting everything back but jumped up when I heard a sound. It was coming from one of the kitchen cupboards. It sounded like a voice except that it gurgled and sniffled and I wasn't completely sure it was a human sound. But if there was some kind of dangerous animal hiding in the cupboard, shouldn't I do something about it?

When I cautiously opened it, I needed a moment to fully comprehend what I was seeing. Someone or something had 'decorated' the little space as some kind of room if the ragged and vile blanket was anything to go by. The rest of the space was filled with absurd things from pictures of crazy people to spoons with the Black family crest on it. And in the corner sat the ugliest house elf I had ever seen. His skin was grey and had so many fold it looked as if it was falling of his face. He had big ears and a few grey hairs on the top of his head. But the thing that gave me chills were his two big bloodshot eyes staring right back into mine from the dark.

"Oh, my poor mistress. What would she say if she saw Kreacher serving _him_?" I finally figured out his words.

"Euhm, hi?" I tried.

The house elf stared at me but kept mumbling things under his breath. I don't think I was meant to hear it. After he kept ignoring my presence, I quietly closed the cupboard door again. The elf gave me the creeps. I really hope his presence in this house isn't permanent although I must admit he fits in perfectly with the rest of the creepy house.

I almost rushed back to my room so I could crawl back in this bed and forget this scary place I'm at. But when I walked back to my room, I heard another strange sound filling the hall on the second floor. After what I found in the cupboard I didn't want to discover anything else in this house. I would have quickly entered my room and forget about it, had I not recognised the agonising sound. It was Harry having a nightmare.

I wasn't quiet anymore now that I made my way over to where Harry shared a room with Weasley. I quickly closed the door behind me once I entered the room. Weasley was snoring like a pig. How come I hadn't heard him from the hallway? Probably because Harry was screaming way louder than his snoring. He was thrashing around in his bed like I've seen him do a lot these past few weeks at our house.

"Harry?" I tried to shake him awake.

I know you're not supposed to wake someone in the middle of a dream but it can't be any worse than the nightmare terrors he's facing right now.

He opened his eyes quite suddenly and it took some time for him realise he was back in reality.

"Danny?" He seemed disorientated.

"Yeah." I smiled softly at him. "You were having a bad dream."

"Oh." He sighed.

"What was it about?"

"I... I was back in the graveyard with..."

"I know."

He didn't have to finish his sentence. I had the same dreams except that they didn't have the same effect on me. My dreams were about Harry almost dying in the graveyard so as soon as I make it to his room and see he's safe and sound, the feeling of uneasiness disappears. Harry dreams about Voldemort and nothing in the reality will make his fear disappear.

I stayed in his room until he went back to sleep and then I snuck out of his room, back into mine.

The next morning I woke up really late. It was almost 11 o'clock and no one had come to wake me up. When I walked downstairs I was grateful that the only people left in the kitchen were uncle Remus and my mom.

"Hey Danny, You hungry?" Unlce Remus put a plate in front of me once I sat down at the table.

They talked about the speech Fudge gave last night while I finished my breakfast.

"Mom?" I eventually said. "I'm sorry I got angry last night."

"It's okay." She smiled but she was clearly pleased I apologised for it.

"I still haven't changed my mind about it, though." I quickly added.

She sighed but didn't say anything about it.

"Where's dad?"

"He left early this morning to bring Harry to his hearing."

What?! The hearing is today?! I was supposed to go with him! Well, I know my parents told me no but I had intended to go anyway. I can't do that now.

"When will they be back?" I sighed.

"I don't know." My mother said. "James said it will probably take a while."

For the rest of the hour, I stayed in the kitchen with my mom who insisted on making me help her with lunch. At least this way I had something to occupy myself with. If I had nothing to do I'd just bite my nails off worrying about what's happening to Harry right now. By lunch time everyone was around the table eating their lunch except Harry and my dad.

"So, Danny, since throwing fits is apparently a family trait-" George started.

"-we were wondering how often a day you were going to have an outburst." Fred continued.

"We were hoping three." They finished together.

"Fred! George!" Mrs Weasley scolded her most troublesome children.

It was okay. They were just having fun with me, not trying to upset me. Nothing that comes out of their mouths would ever upset me. They lighten the mood.

"Oh, I do tantrums on demand." I grinned.

They grinned back at me and for the rest of the lunch, we joke around. Their mother seems to be annoyed by everything that leaves their mouth but my mom seems happy that I'm not sulking anymore.

Finally at 5 o'clock in the afternoon, we hear the front door open and Harry and my dad's voices in the hallway. I want to immediately rush towards them but my mom stops me and tells me to stay in the drawing room where we were cleaning up.

"What?!" I shout angrily.

"Harry will tell you later what happened." And then she leaves.

"What?!" I repeat again but the only ones who can hear me are Weasley and Granger who had been cleaning up in here as well.

"She said Harry will tell you later." Weasley says.

"I heard her." I turn towards him.

Granger rolls her eyes at him.

"What? She asked." He shrugs.

"I don't think she was waiting for an actual answer."

"No," I fake gasp. "You think?"

I am stuck in the room with the two of them for at least another hour when finally Harry enters the room.

"Well? What happened? Is everything okay? Are you still expelled?" I throw my questions at him before he can even close the door behind him.

"No, I can go to Hogwarts." He sighs.

"Really? That's great." I exclaim but Harry doesn't seem to be half as happy as I am right now. "Why aren't you glad?"

"I am."

Pff, if that's his happy face, it needs some serious work.

"You're not smiling." I point out.

"It's just... I saw Dumbledore at the ministry today." He sighs.

"So?"

"He wouldn't even look at me."

That's what was bothering him? Dumbledore probably had more important things to do than talk to Harry after he got out of trouble.

"He practically treated me like the woman from the Wizengamot, like I am some kind of criminal."

Technically he is a criminal, since he broke two of the most important rules in the wizarding world: don't use magic out of school if you are underage and don't expose magic to muggles. He did both.

"Who cares? We can go the Hogwarts now." I smile.

"Did she just say 'we'?" Weasley choked out.

"Yes, Danny is going to Hogwarts next year." Harry told his two friends.

"What?!" The redhead exclaimed.

"He said that I'm going to Hogwarts next year." I grinned at him.

"Why?!"

"Did you miss the fact that Voldemort has returned and is probably going after Harry now that he was supposed to die in that graveyard? There is no way I'm trusting the two of you to keep him safe."

I don't care if I burst their little bubble of how awesome next year would be. I am going to Hogwarts next year to help Harry, and I'm not going to be nice about it.

"So we're stuck with... that?!" He points his finger towards me.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I shout back at him.

"You guys, please stop fighting." Harry sighs again.

I turn to him. He's been sighing and moping this entire conversation. What was up with him? He can't really be that bumped out by Dumbledore ignoring him.

"How did you convince the ministry that you only used magic to protect yourself?" Granger thankfully changed the subject.

"The muggle boy testified."

What? Is that even allowed?

"Can they do that?" She asked him.

"Apparently." He shrugs. "They were going to obliviate him afterwards."

"But he didn't even see the dementros. How could he have testified?" I said.

"He described the feeling of a dementor close. He was quite accurate in it. You'd be surprised about how perceptive muggles can be."

I must say I'm surprised that they found that enough prove. I am glad that the muggle boy testified, but seriously? Wasn't it that much easier to let me do that? At least I had seen the dementors.

"And then Dumbledore showed up and he sort of got me out of it completely." Harry says.

Aha, so he did still do something nice for Harry. That is definitely an improvement since he let Harry compete in a deadly competition last year.

"Dinner's ready!" Mrs Weasley's voice rang through the entire house.

Granger and Weasley left the room but when Harry tried to follow their example, I stopped him.

"What's the real reason you're upset?" I ask him.

"I'm not-"

"Oh, please." I roll my eyes at him. "It's almost too easy to read your mood these days."

"It really is about Dumbledore." He sighs. "But not just because he ignored me today but because he left me out of the whole Order thing this summer and he won't even acknowledge the fact that I'm not just a silly student. I thought... Since he and I are in this thing together, we'd be in this thing together."

"Harry..."

"I thought at least he would be on my side." He shrugged, trying to act like he didn't care but the whole thing clearly affected him.

"He is, but he's also the Head of Hogwarts and leading this whole Order. He's got a lot on his mind."

"I know, but... Who am I supposed to count on now?"

I hit him hard on the head.

"You're supposed to count on me, you nitwit! I am on your side."

"Right." He smiles softly.

"By the way, I told mom and dad that I wanted to go to Hogwarts next year." I tell him.

"I know. Dad told me. He also told me he and mom aren't too thrilled about that."

Yeah, they made that pretty clear. But I'm not one to be defeated easily.

"That's where you come in. You could convince them. Tell them you need me to be there and stuff like that. They'll come around once you tell them that." I say excitedly.

He's hesitating to say the next thing that's on the tip of his tongue and that's never a good sign. I probably don't want to hear what he has to say.

"Maybe they're right, Danny, and the last thing you need is to be at Hogwarts. You'd be much better off in France."

"No! I have to be at Hogwarts, you need me to be at Hogwarts! Just tell them that, they'll listen to you."

"Fine." He sighs. "I'll tell them you really want to go."

But what I really wanted him to do was tell them and tell me that he needed me to be with him at Hogwarts, that he needed me. He never said it.


	3. Hogwarts Express

_Thank you for reviewing __**xXMizz Alec VolturiXx **__and __**a person.**_

Chapter 3

My parents came around. It required a lot of nagging, screaming and throwing things around but eventually I got what I wanted. I am going to Hogwarts in two weeks. The twins were a lot more excited about me going to the same school as them as their younger brother had been. But then again, I'm not mean to them.

My mom made me promise a few things though, as a part of her agreeing to let me go to the same school as Harry. I happily obliged but her list of things was a lot different then what I expected.

1. I will not tell anyone about the strange connection I share with Harry and that I witnessed what happened in the graveyard last year.

2. I will not use offensive comments to address my teachers.

3. If Harry is getting in trouble and I cannot help him out of it without causing trouble for myself, I will ask help from a teacher.

4. I will not hex random students for glaring, pointing and/or laughing, even if I think it's a very acceptable excuse.

I agreed to all four rules but there's not a doubt in my mind that by the end of the year, or maybe even by Christmas, I will have broken all four of them.

We had been sitting in the kitchen for breakfast when suddenly 7 owls landed in the middle of the table. Not hungry anymore now that I saw one of them poop in the oatmeal bowl.

"Great, the book lists are here." Granger eagerly grabbed the letter from the owl in front of her.

I followed her example and took the letter from the owl who kept staring at me. The booklist was completely different from the previous years. Mainly because these ones were in English but they were all on completely different subjects than in Beauxbatons. I might have a lot of catching up to do.

"I'm a prefect!" Granger suddenly squealed and everyone started congratulating her.

My mom had been a prefect as well when she started her fifth year at Hogwarts, as had uncle Remus. It didn't really sound like something I would want to be but Granger looked really excited about it.

"Oh God." Weasley suddenly exclaimed.

I didn't understand why he was taken aback until I saw the shiny pin in his hands, the one similar to Granger's, that said 'prefect'. Dumbledore made him prefect? It's official, the old man is getting delusional.

"Really?" Granger frowned. "Didn't it fell out of Harry's envelope?"

Ouch. I could easily see Weasley's expression turn sour at her comment.

"No, it's mine. Don't seem too surprised." He scoffed.

"That's great, Ron." She managed to eventually get out.

Mrs. Weasley's reaction however was a lot more enthusiastic and probably a tad overbearing.

"I don't believe it! I don't believe it! Oh, Ron, How wonderful! A prefect! That's everyone in the family." She exclaimed before trying to hug her youngest son to the point of suffocation.

"What are Fred and I? Next-door neighbours?" George asked.

I wanted to laugh at his comment but I got distracted by the look of sheer disappointment on my brother's face. Granger definitely didn't help with that by saying she would have thought for sure that Dumbledore would appoint Harry as prefect this year since they share a supposedly special bond.

"This calls for celebration!" Mrs. Weasley squealed and left the room.

Oh boy, what am I supposed to expect from that?

"Everyone hand in your lists, please." My mom said "I'll be going to Diagon Alley to get all your supplies."

What? Oh, man, I was really looking forward to visiting Diagon Alley again and get out of this place, even for a little while. All the others didn't seem too happy about it either and started complaining loudly.

"That's how it's going to be. The only one accompanying me is Danny."

Wait, that's my name.

"Really?" I asked her at the same time that Weasley asked why I could go but not the rest of them.

"Because all you need are books. Danny needs new robes for Hogwarts. I can't buy it without her." My mother explained to everyone.

I grinned and stuck my tongue out at Weasley who was sulking like a little baby in his seat. 1-0 for me. Thank you, mom!

So that's how I found myself walking down Diagon Alley with my mom the next day. At first I hadn't understood why she didn't want the others to come as well but now I think she just didn't want Harry to come. Almost every person who got a good look at my mother and recognised her as Lily Potter, looked at her as if... well, as if they honestly believed her son was a big fat liar. It made me angry but I followed my mother's example and pretended not to notice the looks being thrown in our direction.

We did some serious speed shopping and after an hour and a half we had all the books for everyone and the only thing left was my robes. My mother steered me into the shop called Madam Malkin's Robes. I was grateful that we seemed to be the only costumers in the store with the exception of a squeaky little first year.

"Hi, I'm looking for Hogwarts robes for my daughter." My mom addresses the woman behind the counter.

"Oh, Mrs Potter." She stared at my mother.

And that's all she did. She stared at her as if she had no idea whether to treat her like any random customer, throw her out for being Harry's mother or tell her that she believed my mom's son was telling the truth.

"We're kind of in a hurry." I snapped at her after she made my mom kind of uncomfortable with her staring.

"Of course." She snapped out of her staring daze.

She eventually settled for the first option and pretended like we weren't related to the most shunned person in the wizarding world.

My mother was paying the woman for my hideous but mandatory robes when a familiar face entered the store. At least it seemed familiar to me but I don't think I've ever met the man. The red hair and freckles however made it clear that he was related to the Weasleys. Surprisingly enough this man was handsome. I kind of assumed Ron's brothers shared the same looks as their younger brother. I had felt sorry for them.

"Hello Lily, I was just on my way back to Gringotts when I saw you through the window, thought I'd say hello."

Lily? My mom must know this one better than the other Weasleys because they all call her Mrs Potter.

"Hi, Bill. I'm just doing some Hogwarts shopping with Danny. I don't believe you two have met before."

Bill Weasley extended his hand out for me to shake, which I did.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Danny." He smiled at me.

He was a nice guy and did I already mention he was handsome? He walked us back to the leaky cauldron and helped us carry some of the bags. He talked about his job at Gringotts a lot. He's a Curse Breaker. He used to work in Egypt but moved back to England at the beginning of the summer.

"I'll see you two tonight then." He said goodbye to us and turned back the way we came.

It was only at home that my mother told me that Bill was also a member of the Order and that the reason he left Egypt was because Voldemort was rising back to his former power. I'm starting to like more members of the Weasley family. However I fear that I will never truly warm up to Ron Weasley.

When I entered the kitchen again, a big banner stared me in the face.

_CONGRATULATIONS_

_RON AND HERMIONE_

_NEW PREFECTS_

I guess Mrs Weasley didn't change her mind about the celebration.

I dropped the shopping bags on the table. Everyone would just have to sort out his own stuff. My stuff however, was going to be neatly piled in my trunk. When I got to my room I realised, I'd have to do some serious changes to my new uniform. Remember when I said last year that the uniform of Hogwarts was designed to hide the female form? I'd be damned to wear a potato sack. Unfortunately I can't use magic right now to make the adjustments but I looked up the spells I would apply to the horrendous outfit on the train.

After a while we all got called down for the 'celebration'. It wasn't very different from our usual dinners except that there were more people present and they all talked about Hermione and Ron. I realised that Harry looked very displeased whenever someone congratulated his two best friends. It certainly didn't help that people kept bringing up that they had thought for sure Harry would be named prefect.

"Aren't you happy I'm going to Hogwarts now?" I grin slightly at him. "At least you'll have someone to hang out with in the common room when the two of them are off doing their prefect duties every evening."

"Aren't you forgetting one little detail?"

"Like what?" I frown.

"Who says you'll be in Gryffindor?"

I scoff. Of course I'll be in the same house as my brother. Our entire family has been in Gryffindor and I don't think I have the qualities to get in any of the other houses.

"What other house would I be in?" I roll my eyes at Harry.

"Well, you do have the slyness and the cunningness to get into Slytherin." He says simply.

Slytherin?! Me? Oh God, I hope not! I don't want to have a common room in the dungeons or spend the next three years having stuck-up purebloods as my classmates. On the other hand... it would make it easier to spy on what the Slytherins are up to and everyone who has ties with Voldemort. Nope, that's not a good enough reason. I want to be a Gryffindor!

"As if." I say but I can't help but wonder if maybe I could end up in the house of snakes.

"Hi Danny." Bill Weasley smiles at me while sitting down on my right. "I was wondering if I could ask you something?"

I nod. I don't know how I could possibly be of use to him but I'll gladly help him with whatever he wants.

"Your mother told me you went to Beauxbatons for four years so I'm guessing your French is pretty good?"

"Yeah, it would have been pretty hard to learn magic if I didn't understand what my textbooks said."

"I was hoping you could teach me some French sentences. Nothing too difficult, just a few basic ones."

"Sure but why would you want to anyway?" I ask him.

Not a lot of people in England speak the language and I have yet to see a French book lying in the stores. I wonder why he would ask me this.

"There's a girl." He whispers eventually.

Him whispering didn't have the desired effect because the twins, who had been sitting across from us, immediately join in the conversation.

"There's a girl!" They yell in unison.

"Shh! Don't shout like that. If mom hears you, she'll start whining for a marriage and grandchildren again." Bill hisses at his brothers. "But yes, there's a girl. No, not a girl, a woman."

"Is she forty?" One of the twins asks.

"What?! No, of course not."

"Then she's a girl." The other one grins.

He just sighs at his brother's antics.

"So you want to impress her with the language of romance?" I grin slightly.

I don't know about the other British girls but that wouldn't really impress me much.

"No, but she's French herself and so many guys are trying to show off for her. I just wanted to try a different approach and show her that I'm interested in her personality, her life, her language instead of just using lame one-liners to compliment on how beautiful she is. Because she's drop-dead-gorgeous." He smiles. "But I just wanted to show her that I'm not just attracted to her by how she looks."

Oooh, that's so sweet. Of course I'll help him.

"So who is she?" Fred, or maybe it's George, grins.

"Her name is Fleur Delacour."

"Really?" I immediately perk up while some of the Weasleys who had been sitting close to us pull a face. "I didn't even know she was in England."

"You know her?"

Of course I knew Fleur. Even in a school where most of the female students were blond princesses, she stuck out. Especially after being chosen as the Beauxbatons champion last year.

"She went to Beauxbatons with me. I wouldn't really call us friends since she was a few years higher than me but we got along." I shrugged.

"You can really help me with her then." He grins excitedly.

I gave him a little bit of advice but honestly he was already well on his way. Because Fleur's a quarter Veela, she never really knows if a guy likes her for who she really is or because she just subconsciously lures him in. From what I hear from Bill, he's probably already good on his way to impressing her.

Staying at the Head Quarters was driving me insane! Sure, I still had some fun annoying everyone else with the pranks I pulled with Fred and George but I desperately wanted to get out of the house, plus I was also getting kind of excited to start my first year at Hogwarts. Luckily for me this stay was almost over and tomorrow morning we would all be leaving on the Hogwarts Express. For the first time in five years my trunk was actually already made instead of waiting for the morning I was leaving. Harry was having no such luck though. Mom eventually forced him, the evening before we would be leaving, to pack his trunk. I was just sitting on his bed, watching him desperately trying to gather all his stuff. I was very much enjoying it.

"Maybe instead of gloating, you could lend me a hand?" He sighed annoyed.

"What's the fun in that?" I smile.

"It would definitely be more helpful than your annoying grin." Ron Weasley grumbled who was struggling with the same problem as Harry.

"Bite me." I snap at him.

"She's not sitting with us in the train tomorrow." He says to Harry.

He does that a lot, talk about me as if I'm not just standing next to him.

"I don't even want to sit with you." I scoff.

I really don't but the number one mission this year is to protect Harry from every possible evil. And being bored to death by his two unexciting friends definitely counts as evil. So it is my duty to liven up the party. And if in the process Ron Weasley stays permanently red due to my presence, I just win twice.

Harry suddenly stopped his packing and was staring intently at something in his hands.

"Here." He extended what had been in his hands to me.

He was handing the Marauder map over to me? I was just staring at him as if he had grown a second head. Weasley was doing something similar.

"Dude, what are you doing? Why are you handing her the map?"

"It's hers too. I had it for the first four years, now it's her turn."

"Really?" I couldn't contain the big smile creeping up on my face.

"On the condition that I get to borrow it whenever I want to." He shrugs.

"Deal!" I shout and rip the piece of paper out of his hands. "Oh, the things I can do with this! You've just given me the key to the kingdom of pranks and mischief and getting away with it!"

"Oh my God, you've helped the monster." Ron shout whispered.

"Now what are the odds of you also handing me the Invisibility Cloak?" I ask Harry.

"Not that good." He smiles.

I had to give it a shot.

I was in a good mood today. I had the biggest treasure you could find in Hogwarts packed away in my trunk: the Marauders map. I was off to my first year to Hogwarts and I was super duper excited about it. God, I hope I didn't say that out loud.

I was the only one who seemed excited about the new year though. The others were all sitting at the breakfast table with very long faces. Well, everyone except the Weasley twins. They were probably trying to get all their experimental stuff in their trunks.

"Everyone all set? We're leaving in ten minutes." Moody said.

I don't know why but for some reason the entire Order found it necessary to accompany us to Central Station. We attracted a lot of attention there what with Moody yelling at us to stay in formation every two minutes. Even the wizards gave us some strange looks. It was only on platform 9 ¾ that I realised Moody's strange behaviour wasn't the main reason people were staring. I guess I should have expected this. They were staring because Harry was Harry and as usually that draws a lot of attention. This time it was another kind of attention though. People were whispering behind his back in a bad way and they clearly didn't believe that Harry's version of what happened last year was the truth. Maybe there hadn't really been a reason to be excited about having to be Harry's watch dog. I could tell he was getting really uncomfortable with all the staring and it made me want to snap at everyone who dared to look at him.

"Now children, behave. I don't want to receive a letter for bad behaviour this year." Mrs Weasley said sternly to all four of her children but her eyes looked directly at the twins.

Our mom's goodbye was a little more touchy-feely.

"I love you both so very much." She hugged the two of us. "Take care of each other and please, for the love of God, don't get into any trouble this year."

"That might be a little too unrealistic, Lily." My dad smiled and gave us a hug as well once mom released us.

"I know, but... I'm getting pretty tired of having you returned to me at the end of the year all battered and bruised." Mom sighed though she still smiled a little at us.

We said goodbye to uncle Remus and Sirius as well before boarding the train.

"Well, we've got some business to discuss with Lee." Fred announced to us before taking off.

"You want to join, Danny?" George smiled at me.

I was really tempted to say yes. Their company was probably way better than that of the boring trio but I had already decided for myself earlier that I was going to spend my time with Harry on the train, so I guess that's what I'm going to do.

"Thanks for asking but I'm going to stay with them." I signalled towards Weasley, Granger and Harry who were trying to find an empty compartment.

"Okay," He shrugged. "Come find us if you change your mind."

I probably will.

"Me and Hermione have to go the Prefects' compartment. " Weasley announced awkwardly when Harry searched for a compartment for the four of us.

"Oh, okay." Harry said but he was most definitely not okay with it.

Weasley shot him a final apologetic look before following Granger to wherever the prefects' compartment was.

"I don't know if I've said this before but, aren't you glad that I'm here this year?" I grin.

"Let's just find somewhere to sit." Harry sighs.

Eventually Harry settled for the compartment where there was only one boy seated in the corner. Harry seemed to know him because they exchanged a friendly greeting.

"Hi Neville, can we join you?"

"S-sure, Harry."

I followed Harry into the compartment and claimed the spot at the window before Harry could. It was only then that I noticed Ginny Weasley had been with us the entire time. She sat next to me and across from Harry.

"You remember Danny, don't you?" Was Harry's lame attempt at introductions.

The boy nodded and I did the same. Neville was a name I had heard before.

"You're the Longbottom guy, right?"

He just nodded and then returned to his nervous wriggling. If I thought this travel company couldn't get any stranger, I was proven wrong when the door slid open again.

"Have you seen the nargles?" A dreamy voice came from the small blond girl in the door opening.

"The what?" Harry frowned.

"The nargles, don't worry they're not very harmful but they'll give you a headache."

I've never heard of such a thing as nargles. What was this girl on?

"No, we haven't but you're free to join our compartment." The Weasley girl told her once she had spotted the trunk behind the blonde.

"I guess I can wait here till the nargles show themselves." She said in that strange dreamy voice and sat down next to Ginny Weasley.

The atmosphere in the compartment was in one word: strange, and that is not a good thing. The blonde girl whose name was apparently Luna Lovegood and was in the same year as the Weasley girl, kept talking about those nargels. I don't think such things actually exist but I figured it would be better if I didn't tell her that. She seemed content in her little fantasy world. Neville Longbottom was talking to us about this plant he had gotten during the holidays but by the looks on all our faces, it was clear no one was really interested. Forget sticking with Harry, I need to leave this compartment.

"I'm going to... get changed." I quickly grabbed my Hogwarts uniform and left for the toilets.

I crossed a few people on my way there but no one I knew. When I put on my clothes and robes and looked in the mirror, I was glad I had memorised those spells. I shortened the skirt till mid thigh and made the shirt and cardigan hug my body instead of it hanging around me like drapes. I was pretty glad with how my outfit turned out.

I looked around the train for the Weasley twins for a while but it was as if they had disappeared. So the only option left was to return to the 'fun' compartment. It was rather mean of me to have left Harry there all by himself.

I passed the trolley with sweets on my way back to my compartment. Maybe I could buy something, I have some money on me right now anyway.

"Two chocolate frogs and a pumpkin pasty, please."

"Danny?"

Since I'm new at Hogwarts and I didn't really use last year as an opportunity to meet new people and make friends, not a lot of people here know who I am. When I looked to my right to see who had said my name, I saw Diggory standing next to me with a stupid smile on his face.

"Diggory." I replied coldly and turned back towards the trolley lady to hand her my money and accept my sweets.

He seemed surprised by my cold shoulder but that's what you get for not standing up for Harry. Whatever foundation of a friendship we had developed last year, was destroyed since he did the interview.

"Diggory? Euhm... Danny? What are you doing on the Hogwarts Express?"

"I transferred to Hogwarts." I told him before making my way back to the compartment.

I should have figured out by now that each time I try to walk away from Diggory, he ends up following me around. This time was not an exception.

"You transferred? Why? Not that I'm not glad to see you, but I kind of figured I had seen the last of you."

"You can't get rid of me no matter how hard you try." I scoff.

"I'm not trying." He smiles.

I don't remember exactly which compartment I came from so now I was basically just wandering around the train. And the worst part was that Diggory knew exactly why I didn't enter a compartment. I guess he deserves some credit for not using this opportunity to mock me.

"So why did you transfer?" He asks me again.

"Because there's this person called Voldemort who's trying to kill my brother. I don't know if you've heard of him. You miss a lot when you're lying paralysed on the graveyard floor. You miss so much that you don't even know who you should be thanking for the fact that you're standing here right now. Oh, but your little interview in the Daily Prophet sure was a great thank you!" I spat.

"You're upset because of that interview." He stated.

"No! You think?" I replied sarcastically.

"Just so you know, I never actually called Harry a liar. They made that article the way they wanted it to be."

"So there's a part in which you defended Harry and claimed that Voldemort has indeed returned but they just cut that out?"

He stayed silent, just like I knew he would.

"Yeah, that's what I thought."

He didn't follow me this time.

When I finally got back to the compartment I had left my brother in, I was met with a strange smell.

"Yikes, what died in here?" I pinch my nose.

"Neville's plant." Harry sighed. "It exploded and covered everything in pus."

"The smell is coming from all you guys." I scrunch up my nose when I sit down next to him.

"It's Stinksap, it squirts out of the boils when he feels intimidated." Neville told me.

"So basically it's the awkward teenage boy of the plants. When does that smell go away?"

"Don't know." He said.

"Oh, I don't think I'm sitting next to you during the Start-of-Term feast, Harry."

Because the smell was really awful and would without a doubt ruin every apatite in a 5 foot radius.

Somewhere in the middle of the train ride Weasley and Granger came back from their prefect duties. For a while she went on and on about all the things they were in charge of this year while he just sighed with every new responsibility she mentioned. He didn't seem excited about that part of the upcoming year. Can't say I blame him.

For the rest of the train ride I read my book about conjuring a patronus. It was a lot more interesting than the things Granger was talking about. I tried to pay attention to it but I kept reading the same sentence over again. I don't want to admit it but I'm actually really nervous about the sorting ceremony tonight. I don't know if I'm supposed to just go in with the first years or if I'll get sorted separately. And I'm not so certain anymore that I'll make it into the same house as Harry and my parents.

"Danny? Are you coming?" Harry called out to me.

He was standing in the doorway of the compartment looking at me. When did he change into his uniform? And when did the train stop moving? I couldn't see much of the whereabouts now that it's dark outside but I'm pretty sure Hogwarts is the only stop this train makes.

"Danny, hurry up. We're going to miss the carriages." He sighs annoyed.

"When did we arrive?" I ask him in confusion while I stand up.

"A few minutes ago. You fell asleep about two hours back."

Huh, I hadn't even realised I had slept during the train ride. I turn towards where I put my trunk and try to pull it out of there but it's pretty heavy. I probably should have left some things at home.

"What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm grabbing my trunk."

Harry takes my hand and pulls me out of the compartment.

"That's not necessary. It will be brought to your dorm."

"Brought by who?" I ask him.

"I don't know. It just is, okay?!"

"And you never wondered why?" I frown.

"It doesn't matter. Let's just find an empty carriage." He sighs.

When we stepped out of the train and onto the platform, black carriages were awaiting the students to bring them to Hogwarts. There weren't a lot of carriages left so people had to squeeze in with strangers. Granger and Weasley had apparently been waiting for us, probably just for Harry, and waved us over to one of the carriages.

"What are those?" Harry suddenly asks no one in particular.

He was staring at the space in front of the carriage as if there was something to see. But all I saw was the dirt road.

"What are you talking about?" Granger asks him.

"The horses pulling the carriage."

I don't see any horses and I'm guessing neither do the others.

"Nothing's pulling the carriages, mate." Weasley says. "Just like every year."

"You mean you don't see them?" He turns towards the three of us now.

"There's nothing to see, Harry." Granger says to him in a sad voice that makes her sound like the doctor telling the patient he's loony.

"Oh." He frowns.

"Let's just get to the school." Granger and Weasley stepped into the carriage.

"You don't see them either, do you?" Harry asked me.

"No, but that doesn't mean they aren't there."

This is Hogwarts, one of the most magical places in the world. Harry seeing something strange that the rest of us can't see doesn't really sound all that crazy. We live in a magical world after all.

The ride to the castle in the carriage was a lot shorter than I expected it to be but maybe that has something to do with the fact that I'm really starting to dread the sorting ceremony. Imagine the look on the faces of, well everyone, if Harry Potter's sister doesn't get sorted into Gryffindor.

When I got out of the carriage, I was immediately targeted by the woman I recognised as professor McGonagall. I'm going to have to watch out for her. This year I am her student and she does have the authority to punish me.

"Miss Potter, why are you not in the boats with the other first years?" She asks me sternly.

"Because I'm not a first year." I tell her simply. "I'm a fifth year."

"This is your first year at Hogwarts and therefore you are a first year who had to be in the boats, not in the carriages."

How the hell was I supposed to know that? For a school with such a great reputation, they sure weren't clear on the protocol for transfer students.

"Sorry?"

"Just follow me. I will bring you to where the other first years will be arriving soon."

I feel kind of insulted the way she keeps referring to me as a fist year student. I'm passed that phase, thank you very much.

I do as she asked me and I follow her to an empty room close to the Great Hall. She tells me to wait there until the first years arrive. When they do, they scramble into the room like stray cats who have never been inside a building. They even marvel at the doors! The minute they notice me, they all just stare at me as if I'm the odd one out, which I am of course.

"Are you a first year as well?" One of the boys steps forward and asks me.

"Do I look like a first year?" I snap at the boy.

"You are pretty big for a first year. How old are you?"

"Fifteen." I huff.

"You're not that big. How old are you really?"

"What?! Why the-"

But my swearing get's interrupted by McGonagall greeting the new students and explaining to them the basic rules of the school. I'm not really listening, I'm sure they're the same as in Beauxbatons. As for the houses, I already know what they stand for and I also know which one I want, no, need, to be in.

"Alright, time for the sorting. Form a straight line and follow me." McGonagall said.

This is it. The start of my wonderful though probably very turbulent career at Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

_I stayed true to JK Rowling because apparently Cedric Diggory was in 6__th__ year when he entered in the Triwizard Tournament. That means he'll be a 7__th__ year this year. Also gives him the opportunity to be close to Danny ;)_


	4. The Sorting Hat

_Thank you __**avengeme, Guest, a person **__and __**Secret world **__for reviewing chapter 3. It's always nice to hear people appreciate your story :)_

_I know it's been almost three weeks since my last update while I promised you I'd update within two weeks. That doesn't really seem realistic now. I just haven't had a lot of time lately and I make sure every chapter counts 5,000 words. So that takes time. But I do promise I won't suddenly disappear from the face of the earth like so many writers do. _

_Tell me what you think of this chapter. _

Chapter 4

The Great Hall was exactly the way I remembered it from the last time I walked in with the eyes on my group. Except this time I couldn't blend in with the other Beauxbatons' students since I was sticking out quite obviously in a group of shivering 11-year olds. Well, I might as well pretend that I don't care everyone is staring at me.

I follow McGonagall to the front of the Great Hall like she had instructed until she stops in front of a stool with a hat on it. I can only assume this is the infamous sorting hat and the one who'll decide which house I'll be in for the next three years of my life. Let's hope there's a way to get on his good side.

"Regina Antley."

McGonagall starts reading the names of the students and they step towards the hat one by one. Why does my last name have to start with a 'P'? Finally, after almost twenty minutes of waiting, she calls my name.

"Danielle Potter."

Oh, great. Now everyone's going to call me Danielle. I step forward and try not to respond to the whispers that started once McGonagall announced my last name to the entire Great Hall.

The moment I put on the hat I forget about that though. Having another voice in your head is rather distracting.

_Ah, miss Potter. You're actually a few years late but better late than never, right?_

I guess.

_I believe you'd like to know what house you belong in._

Well, yes. That's the reason I put you on my head in the first place.

_Let me see... I have to say there is quite a resemblance between you and your brother._

Great, that means you'll sort me in the same house. Go ahead, call out Gryffindor.

_Actually, I had wanted to place your brother in Slytherin._

What?! Harry in Slytherin? The boy would have been picked on by every member of the house. They hate his guts. And how is Harry cunning?

_The Slytherin house is about more than being cunning. It is also the house for people with ambition and focus, for born leaders with determination._

That does apply to Harry. Am I all those things as well?

_God no, you're just cunning. Slytherin is not the house for you._

Strange, I feel kind of disappointed that I don't fit into the house with the determined and ambitious leaders. Once again points out I'm born to follow Harry.

_But your heart is in the right place and your devotion and loyalty to your brother certainly is admirable. You're a strong young woman, Danielle Potter, which is why I believe you'll be at your best in the house of GRYFFINDOR!_

He shouted out the last part and the table where I had spotted Harry at when I first walked in applaud when I made my way to the table of my house.

"I guess I shouldn't be too surprised about it but I had hoped for another house, any other house." Is Weasley's strange way of greeting me when I sit down.

"If I were you, I'd start being a lot nicer to me. Now that I'm in the same house as you are, you should be aware of the fact that that just gives me even more possibilities to make your life a miserable hell." I grin.

"We're so glad you're here." George and Fred pretend to choke on their breath with emotion.

I tried to pay attention to the rest of the sorting ceremony but something the sorting hat had told me, needed to get off my chest.

"Why didn't you ever tell me the sorting hat wanted to put you in Slytherin?" I ask Harry when everyone else is paying attention to the new first years.

"How do you know that?" He asks me in surprise.

"The sorting hat told me when he was trying to put me in a house."

"Did he want to put you in there as well?" He asks me eagerly.

It seems to me like Harry would like to know that it's just in our family's character to have some Slytherin's traits and that it's just a coincidence that the sorting hat wanted to place him in the same house as Voldemort. Was it just coincidence?

"We resemble each other a lot but we're not that alike."

Yes, apparently I'm no leader.

We drop the subject afterwards. The rest of the sorting ceremony is kind of boring and I wish the food would just appear. I'm starving. It's like Dumbledore can read my mind because not even one minute after I think it, he tells all of us to enjoy the feast and delicious food is suddenly spread out over the tables.

"How lovely to see all your bright, happy faces smiling up at me." A woman who had been sitting at the teacher's table said while walking up to the front.

Dumbledore had announced her to us as Dolores Umbridge, the new professor in Defence Against the Dark Arts. I already don't like her. First of all because it's common knowledge that addressing the students during the Start-of-Term feast is something only the Headmaster of Hogwarts is allowed to do a.k.a. Albus Dumbledore. Secondly and maybe even more importantly, because Harry recognised her as one of the people at his hearing who voted for him to be expelled and punished for trying to help a defenceless muggle boy.

"I'm sure we are all going to be very good friends."

We're her students, not her bffs. Why was she talking to us like that?

"That's likely." Fred and George roll their eyes and verbalise what I had been thinking.

"The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance. Although each Headmaster has brought something new to this historical school, progress for the sake of progress must be discouraged. Let us preserve what must be preserved, perfect what can be perfected and prune practices that ought to be prohibited." She giggled and then returned to her seat.

I'm not sure what exactly what that little speech meant but I'm sure there was some kind of hostile warning hidden in it.

"What does it mean?" I asked Granger since she was looking at Umbridge as if she had completely understood the hidden message, even though I'm almost ashamed to ask for her help.

"It means the ministry is interfering at Hogwarts."

Told you it wasn't anything good. And since the ministry is currently targeting my brother, this means double trouble.

We didn't talk anymore about what Umbridge's presence in this castle would mean for us but I'm sure we were all thinking about it. Well, maybe Weasley wasn't. He usually doesn't get the importance of most things.

"So who's in our year in Gryffindor?" I ask Harry in an attempt to show some interest in my fellow class mates.

"There's Dean Thomas." Harry points out a boy sitting not that far away from us with a dark skin and a pleasant smile. "The one sitting next to him is Seamus Finnigan."

I recognised the Seamus guy as the one who treated me like a retard last year even though he was the retard for not getting that I was Harry's sister. Of course he hadn't been aware that Harry had a sister because he had kept that fact hidden very well up until last year.

"That's Bem." Harry points out another dark skinned boy though this one is a little chubbier and is lacking a pleasant smile. "Don't know his last name though. The five of us, and Neville as well of course, share a dorm."

"What about the girls?" I asked eagerly.

I just hope they're not all like Granger because else I'll be having a hard time befriending anyone in my dorm.

"You'll be sharing a dorm with five other girls, including me." She says. "There's Lavender Brown," She points out a blond girl. "And Parvati Patil."

Hey, that girl looks kind of familiar.

"Wasn't she your date at the Yule ball?" I ask Harry.

"Yes." He grumbled, clearly not wanting to be remembered of that miserable night.

"Fay Dunbar." Granger tries to spot her at the Gryffindor table but can't seem the find her.

"Well, I don't know where she's sitting right now but she's probably sitting somewhere with Kellah Jordan, she's Lee's sister and Fay's best friend."

I guess I'll meet the two of them in the Gryffindor tower lately. If one of them is Lee's sister, she can't really be all that bad, I guess.

"And that's all the people in our year, at least the ones from Gryffindor. You'll have the chance to interact with people of the other houses in class." Granger says.

From what I've gathered so far from Hogwarts, people tend to stay in their houses and most of your friends are from your own house. I just hope they're great people because else it's going to be a lonely three years.

This would be the first time I'd enter the Gryffindor common room as one of them and I had great expectations for it. I hoped that once I would be in the Gryffindor tower, as a Gryffindor, I would practically feel my life change around. I didn't. Instead, the moment I entered the common room, I was annoyed. Why? Because once again my moment was stolen by everyone only paying attention to Harry.

"Dean? Seamus? Good holiday?" Harry tried to break the tension there was in the room what with everyone staring at his every move.

"Alright, better than Seamus' anyway." Dean Thomas added the last part softly.

I was losing interest in the awkward conversation quickly and stared at the paintings on the wall. I recognised some famous people like Dilys Derwent, a famous healer who ended up as one of Hogwarts' Headmasters and more importantly, Roderick Plumpton, the fastest seeker ever who caught a snitch once in three seconds and a half. There were other portraits as well but I didn't really care about who they were. They were curious about the students in the common room though, that's for sure.

"My mom didn't want me to come back this year." Seamus caught my attention again because I didn't like the hostile manner in which he was approaching Harry.

"Why not?"

"Let me see... because of you. The Daily Prophet has been saying lots of things about you. And a lot of Dumbledore as well."

"And your mom believes them?"

"Well, nobody was there that night."

"Well, I guess we should read the Prophet then, like your stupid mother?" Harry crossed a line there and what worried me was that he didn't even seem to realise it. "It'll tell you everything you need to know."

"Don't you dare talk about my mother like that." Seamus got angry.

"I can talk about anyone who calls me a liar." Harry countered in that hard voice that seems so unlike him but has been making an appearance a lot lately.

"What's going on?" Weasley suddenly interfered in the argument and it made me realise that I should have interfered a lot sooner.

It's a sad day when Ron Weasley beats you at something.

"He's mad, that's what's going on." Seamus turned to Weasley now. "Do you believe the rubbish he's commenting about You-Know-Who?"

"Yeah, I do." Weasley says. "Does anyone else got a problem with Harry?"

When he looked around the room, daring anyone to say another thing about Harry, I realised that maybe I should stop thinking of Ronald Weasley as the enemy, the competition, but rather think of him as an ally. Didn't he want to protect Harry as well? That means he and I are on the same side. Still doesn't mean we're friends or that I'll even be nice to him. That's not going to happen.

No one said anything, not even Seamus and both Harry and Weasley eventually went up the stairs to their dorm.

"I hope it's not always like this in here." I turn sadly enough to the only one who's paying attention to me right now, Granger.

"No, but I have a feeling we'll be getting a lot more scenes like that." She sighs.

"So... wanna show me my dorm?" I ask her.

She nods.

Harry had been right. My trunk did magically appear on my bed, the bed which according to Granger hadn't been there the previous years. She left me to myself so I could unpack and get comfortable in my new dorm. I still had to meet my new dorm mates but for now I was kind of happy to be left alone. This has been quite the exhausting day.

I woke up very late and the only one left in the dorm was the girl Granger had called Lavender Brown. She was brushing her hair in the mirror and didn't even seem to notice my presence.

"What time is it?" I yawned.

"8.15." She told me without even looking at me.

"What time does class start?"

"9."

I guess I wasn't that terribly late yet. I was surprised though that she and I were the only ones left here. If it was still 45 minutes until class, then why were the others already gone?

"Where is everyone?" I asked her when I got out of bed and tried to reassemble my uniform.

I've been here for one night and I've already made a mess of all my stuff.

"People tend to be early for the first day, so they don't miss the handing out of the schedules." She brushes her hair all over again till it's almost shiny with greasiness.

"Why aren't you already in the Great Hall?" I ask her.

"Beauty takes time." She smiles at me for the first time. "I've asked Parvati to take my schedule."

I hope someone will take my schedule but I don't exactly have friends in this school. Hopefully my brother will have thought of it.

I'm a little confused as to what I should do now. I've put on my uniform and pulled my long and untameable hair in a pony tail. So basically I'm ready while this Lavender girl is still staring at herself in the mirror while applying a big layer of make-up on her face. I put on a little eyeliner myself but that's about it. Should I wait for her which I guess would be the nice thing to do but who knows how much longer she'll take?

"Do you want me to wait for you?" I ask her eventually.

"God, Danny!" She laughs at me and addresses me as if we've been best friends for years. "I'm not even close to being ready."

I eventually leave for the Great Hall by myself. It's a good thing I've been here last year because else I would have been completely lost. What kind of people let their new class mate fend completely for herself on the first day?

"There you are." Granger smiles at me when I sit down next to Harry at the Gryffindor table. "I was just going to wake you up. I wanted to do so when I woke up but Harry told me you're cranky when people wake you up to early."

I just shrug before shoving a piece of toast in my mouth. Sure I don't like to be woken up early, but I also don't like to be left on my own like that. At least not on the first day.

"Here's your schedule." Harry places a piece of parchment in front of me. "It's the same as all the other Gryffindors'."

This year it will be but once we have our OWLs that will change. We'll all be in classes we need for our future career and we can drop subject we don't deem necessary.

"Except that one." Harry points out my Ancient Runes class on the paper. "I thought you were going to take Deviation?"

"I was... until I saw your book. I thought this looked more interesting than staring into an empty tea cup and pretending to see someone's impending doom." I shrug.

Also, I don't think I would enjoy a class where the professor has made it her hobby to predict Harry's death. I am glad she hasn't been right about it so far.

"I take Ancient Runes as well." Granger says. "And Arithmancy, and Muggle Studies."

"I thought you were only allowed to pick two extra subjects?" I ask her.

"Hermione couldn't choose so true to her character, she picked all of them." Harry rolled his eyes.

We had classes with all of the other houses but I noticed that more often than not we'd have to sit with the Slytherins. When I asked Harry about it, he just said it was the school's way of trying to end the rivalry between the two houses. What a way to go. If you want people to stop attacking each other, you should definitely put them in the same room. Idiots.

A girl who seemed to be older than us, stopped in front of Harry.

"Congratulations on making captain, Angelina." Harry said cautiously, probably not sure whether or not she thought of him as a liar as well.

"Thanks Harry." She smiled at him, which I guess ended Harry's doubt. "Try-outs will be next week and even though you'll make the team again, you still have to try out."

Try-outs? As in Quidditch try-outs? She immediately had my attention.

"I just hope we'll have some real talent in the try-outs. We need a good keeper and chaser." She sighs.

"Chaser? Danny plays that position." Harry said while pointing at me.

"Really?" She turned her attention to me. "Are you any good?"

"Well, it would be kind of arrogant of me to say I'm bloody awesome. But I'm bloody awesome." I grin.

"Great, I'll let you know when the try-outs are. They'll probably be announced in the common room anyway. And you Harry: please be at your best game because there are a lot of people trying to have a go at your position."

"Maybe you should try out as well, Ron." Hermione said when Angelina Something left.

"As what?" I scoff. "There is no position in which you have to prove how many balls can fly by without you hitting any of them."

"Ron's a good keeper, Danny." Harry scolds me.

Yeah, that's his way of scolding. Kind of pathetic, right? You'd think he'd be a lot better at it with such a great example as our mom.

"Yes," I grin. "Why don't you try out then? I love a good laugh."

He blushed red, whether it's out of embarrassment or anger, I don't know. I don't care. The fact that he's got that awkward and unflattering blush on his face right now was my doing and I was kind of satisfied about it.

"Let's just get to class." Harry sighed and got up.

Our first class of the day was Potions and according to Harry I shouldn't be excited about it. I've inherited the love and talent of my mother for that subject so no matter what my brother says, I'm still happy about it.

I soon got what he meant about it though. Class from Snape was awful, throw in the Slytherins and you get a real disaster. He was always deducting points of Gryffindors over nothing and giving points away to the Slytherins over nothing. At the end of the class we had lost a total of 36 points and those gloating Slytherins had gained 45 points. He was so unfair. And while he gave every Slytherin with a decent potion extra points, he didn't say anything about my flawless potion. And I had always thought Harry exaggerated about that man.

"That was awful." I groaned once we left the dungeons. "Potions is supposed to be fun, not torture like this."

"In what universe is Potions fun?" Weasley frowned.

"In the Beauxbatons universe. There everything is better." I sigh nostalgically.

I could have gone on and on for days about how awesome my previous school was but when I mentioned it, Harry got this sad and guilty look on his face so I decided to shut up about it and change the subject.

"What's next?" I smile.

"Defence Against the Dark Arts. Let's see what this ministry woman is really all about." Weasley says.

I don't know what I expected from Umbridge, but this wasn't it.

We were all already sitting down in the class room. I was sitting next to Granger because stubborn Weasley didn't want to give up his usual seat next to Harry. So I had to listen to the girl yap about every chapter of the book, which of course she had already read during the summer holidays. Because that's what every normal teenager does during the holidays, read a book.

"Good morning, children." Umbridge's sweet voice rang through the class room, too sweet.

"Ordinary Wizarding Level examinations." She continued happily. "O.W.L. or commonly known as owls. Study hard and you will be rewarded. Fail to do so and the consequences may be severe."

I don't understand how she can talk like that with that ridiculous smile plastered on her face. Doesn't it get tiresome?

We had noticed during the summer vacation that there wasn't a book for Defence Against the Dark Arts on our lists. I had been hoping that just meant we were only going to practice spells, not learn any theory. But when I saw Umbridge hand out thick and old books for her class, I was proven wrong.

"Your previous instructions on this subject have been disturbingly uneven. But you'll be pleased to know that from now on you'll be following a carefully structured, ministry approved course of Defence Against the Dark Arts."

The dusty old book wore the title 'Dark Arts Defence: Basics for Beginners'. Doesn't sound very promising, if you ask me.

Almost immediately Granger's hand shot up in the air to ask a question. Why am I not surprised though I must admit I had some questions and serious doubts about this ministry approved course she was talking about.

"There's nothing in here about using defensive spells."

Really? I quickly scanned the book to see she was right. That's bullocks.

"Using spells?" She laughed as though Granger's question had been preposterous while I for one would like to know why there weren't such spells. "I can't imagine why you would need to use spells in my classroom."

I can think of a few reasons. The main one starts with a 'V'. Can you guess? I bet Harry can.

"We're not going to use magic?" Weasley asked.

"You'll be learning about defensive spells in a secure, risk free way."

"What use is that? If we're going to be attacked it won't be risk free."

Oh boy. This is what I had been afraid of. That Harry was going to open his mouth and continue to defend his opinion. Normally I'm all for that but with everything that has been going on, it wouldn't be a bad idea to keep a low profile.

"Students raise their hands when they wish to speak in my class." She says but when Harry raises his hand, she just turns her back towards him and appoints another student. "And your name is?"

"Dean Thomas."

"Well, Mr Thomas?"

"Well, it's like Harry said, isn't it? If we're going to be attacked, it won't be risk free."

What he said took me by surprise. I had assumed, as I'm sure Harry had as well, that since his best friend didn't believe my brother, neither did he. Yet right now he believed what my brother said about being attacked. Dolores Umbridge however, did not believe it.

"I repeat, do you expect to be attacked during my classes?" She kept talking with that sweet, sickening smile and voice tone.

"No, but-"

"I do not wish to criticise the way things have been run in this school, but you have been exposed to some very irresponsible wizards in this class," She did have a point there I thought, thinking about that idiot Gilderoy Lockhart. "not to mention extremely dangerous half-breeds."

But she was wrong about that. The only good professor Harry has had in this course was uncle Remus and for her to talk about him as if he was an abomination, made my blood boil. I wasn't the only one enraged by her comment though. But I would have rephrased it a lot ruder than Dean Thomas did.

"If you mean Professor Lupin," He almost bellowed through the entire classroom in anger. "he was the best we ever-"

"Hand, Mr Thomas." She rudely interrupted him. "As I was saying, you have been introduced to spells that have been complex, inappropriate to your age group and potentially lethal. You have been frightened into believing that you are likely to meet Dark attacks every other day-"

"No, we haven't." Granger piped up. "We just-"

"Your hand is not up, Miss Granger!"

And this time as well she ignored the hand in the air. I don't understand how this woman refuses to listen to us. We seem to be a lot smarter than her.

"It is my understanding that my predecessor not only performed illegal curses in front of you, he actually performed them on you."

Yes, but that wasn't really Alastor Moody but Bartemius Crouch Jr., who was a crazy death eater.

"Well, he turned out to be a maniac, didn't he?" Dean said hotly. "Mind you, we still learned loads."

"Your hand is not up, Mr Thomas!"

He didn't try to raise it again but another student did.

"Parvati Patil," She said without even waiting for Umbridge to give her permission to speak. "Isn't there a practical bit in our Defence Against the Dark Arts OWL? Aren't we supposed to show that we can actually do the counter-curses and things?"

"As long as you have studied the theory hard enough, there is no reason why you should not be able to perform the spells under carefully controlled examination conditions."

I'm sorry but since when does studying a spell in theory mean you can also do the spell? No teacher actually believes that.

"Without even practicing them beforehand?" Parvati Patil asked in shock. "Are you telling us that the first time we'll get to do the spells will be during our exams?"

"I repeat, as long as you have studied the theory hard enough-"

"And what good is theory going to be in the real world?" Harry interfered.

I had a feeling this was going to happen. I just knew that Harry was going to stubbornly go in against Umbridge. Actually, I'm surprised that this is the first thing he's said since the hands up debacle of Umbridge.

"This is school, Mr Potter, not the real world." I was surprised she actually gave him an answer.

"So we're not supposed to be prepared for what's waiting for us out there?"

"There is nothing waiting out there, Mr Potter."

I wouldn't be so sure about that.

"Who do you imagine wants to attack children like yourselves?" She asked him the wrong question.

"Hmm, let's think..." He basically mocked her question. "Maybe... Lord Voldemort?"

Some students gasped, other stared with big eyes at Harry but not one of them seemed as unfazed by it as Umbridge. She appeared to be calm on the surface but I'm willing to be money on it that she's boiling on the inside.

"Let me make a few things quite plain." She addressed the rest of the students. "You have been told that a certain Dark wizard has returned from the dead-"

"He wasn't dead." Harry shouted angrily at her. "But yes, he's returned."

"As I was saying," She continued as if Harry hadn't said anything but her anger was starting to show on the surface as well now. "you have been informed that a certain Dark wizard is at large once again. This is a lie."

"It's not a lie!" Harry jumped up in anger.

I wanted to stop him from making matters even worse for himself but I was sitting too far away from him and Weasley seemed almost afraid to interrupt him in his shouting.

"I saw him, I fought him!"

"Detention, Mr Potter!" She was shouting now as well. "Tomorrow evening. Five o'clock. My office. Now, you will all kindly continue your reading. Page five 'Basics for Beginners'."

I noticed Harry still had something to say but I was grateful to see Weasley calm him down.

I couldn't concentrate on my book for the rest of the hour. I kept thinking about Umbridge. I knew she was going to be a problem for Harry because she reports to the ministry and the ministry apparently hates Harry these days for telling the truth but now she was messing with our education and that could have some serious consequences in the long run.

When we were finally allowed the leave the classroom, I went to the front, to where Umbridge was sitting behind her desk, instead of following my fellow classmates out.

"Yes, Miss...?"

"Potter." I said and I practically saw her preparing herself for an argument but that's not what I came here for. "I just wanted to thank you for not being too harsh on Harry."

Me thanking her and speaking in the same sweet voice as she did, clearly threw her off guard.

"Harry doesn't really know what he's saying these days. In his mind he's telling the truth and he doesn't seem to understand how ridiculous his little theory sounds."

"In his mind?" She frowns, clearly confused by the fact that I'm not choosing Harry's side.

"Yes, we believe the pressure of being-the-boy-who-lives did some serious damages to his mind. It's been hard on my family. He doesn't see how much his lies affect our parents." I played the card of poor sister to a boy with a deranged mind and she bought it.

"Of course that can't be easy on you but you must understand that lies will be punished."

"Of course they must be punished." I nodded vigorously. "And I hope you will be able to talk some sense into him during detention."

"I'm glad you see it my way." She smiled brightly at me.

When I turned around to leave the classroom, I smiled victoriously. She was too easy to please. I was going to have her wrapped around my little finger in no time.

You know what they say. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.


	5. First day at Hogwarts

_Wow, a new chapter within two weeks. Kind of proud of myself right now. It takes a lot of time to write one chapter so I'm happy I finished nr. 5. Thank you __**xXMizz Alec VolturiXx, avengeme, just jess16, a person **__and __**ZabuzasGirl **__for reading and reviewing the previous chapter(s). It's always great to hear what the people reading this fic think about it. I hope you like this chapter as well. _

Chapter 5

When I left the classroom of Defence Against the Dark Arts, I noticed to my astonishment that my lovely twin brother, for who I changed schools, left me to fend for myself. That's just great. We have one more class and I have no idea where I'm supposed to be. All the other students are already on their way as well.

"Fuck." I swear loudly, a little too loudly because some first years look at me as if I've just said a forbidden word. There isn't a rule against swearing in this school, right?

"Don't you have a dirty mouth." I hear an amused voice from behind me.

The voice sounds teasing and I'm all for playfulness. So I turn around, ready to treat this person to a witty comment when my face drops at the sight of Cedric Diggory smiling at me. So much for talking back. All I do is huff and turn my back to him again. Unfortunately I can't just walk away this time because the train had been limited, but this castle is huge and I'm kind of still hoping Harry will be back to get me.

"You seem to be getting lost a lot." He comes to stand closer to me.

"I'm not lost." I snap at him.

"Right, you're just admiring the wonderful view on the thirth floor." He grins.

"Fine," I sigh annoyed. "I'm lost."

"Where do you have to be?"

There is no way I'm letting him play my knight in shiny armour. He's too eager to play that part. Plus, he'd look terrible with helmet hair.

"I didn't ask for your help." I snap.

"Of course you didn't." He keeps smiling. "You are way too proud to admit to anyone you need help."

"Am not." I grumble but maybe there is a little bit of truth in what he says.

"Come on, just tell me where you have to go and I'll take you there. Before you protest, I must tell you that as Head Boy this is my job so I'm not doing this because I want to but because it is my obligation to help lost students."

Well, I definitely am lost and there is no doubt in my mind that perfect Diggory could make it to Head Boy. The bright badge on his uniform might have tipped me off as well.

"Fine, I've got Herbology." I sigh in defeat and hand him over my schedule.

"You have to be in greenhouse nr 4. Follow me."

Before I can say anything else he's already moving through the hallway with big paces and I almost have to jog to keep up with him. I get even more annoyed when I realise I look like I'm following him around like a little love sick puppy.

"Stop walking so goddamn fast!" I snap when I finally catch up with him.

"I thought you might want to hurry to class since you're already late." He says quickly without really slowing down.

So I grab onto his robes and stop in the middle of the hallway so he can't keep going. I'm not going to run all the way to class.

"Do I look like I'm eager to get to class? Just get me there, but at a human pace."

He grins and nods.

"So what do you think of Hogwarts so far?"

I should have known going at a human space, leaves him some breath to start a conversation with me.

"No, no. We're not starting a casual conversation. Matter of fact I prefer if you just keep quiet."

"Sorry Danny, but with my services comes my sound." He grins.

"Fine, then I guess I can find the greenhouse myself."

"Jesus, don't be so stubborn." He still says but I'm already leaving.

He catches up with me quickly and pulls me back. I'm about ready to slap him for touching my arm but he pulls his hand back rather fast and holds up his hands in surrender.

"Okay, I'll shut up. But just for the record, the greenhouse is that way." He points in the opposite direction of where I had stormed off to.

He keeps true to his word. For the rest of the walk, he doesn't talk to me but he does keep wearing that stupid large grin on his face and that's almost just as annoying. I hope this won't take too long anymore but I'm guessing it won't since we're already outside right now.

"There you go." He finally says and points to the greenhouse a few feet away.

I nod and am about to walk to the place I should have been at 15 minutes ago when Diggory talks to me again.

"The polite thing to do would be to thank me."

"Thank you?!" I turn around in anger and abandon all ideas to get away from him as fast as I can. "Why should I thank you? You practically forced your company on me and now I should be grateful for it?! Fuck you!"

"A simple 'thanks' would have been sufficient. And you're welcome." He winks at me before returning to the castle.

The audacity! Who the hell does he think he is?! I let out a cry of frustration but he doesn't turn around anymore. Thank God. Was he this annoying last year as well?

When I knock on the door of the greenhouse and enter the place, all eyes are immediately on me. The plump woman on the front of the class looks at me with expectation.

"Euhmm... I got lost." I say lamely.

She nods and appoints me to the only empty seat in the front, next to a boy with the Hufflepuff colours. Great! I hate Hufflepuffs, they're so pushy and impossible to get rid off.

"Hi, my name is Wayne Hopkins." He smiles brightly at me.

Is that a Hufflepuff trait? Always being so damn perky?

"Danny Potter." I shake the hand he's offered me.

I try not to be too rude to him since it's not his fault Cedric Diggory gets on my nerves but I'm really not in the mood right now to play nicely.

"I know who you are. You're Harry Potter's sister."

I guess that pretty much sums up who I am. Harry Potter's sister. End.

"Yep, that's me." I sigh while getting my stuff out of my bag.

"For the record, I believe him." He says softly to me.

My mood immediately turns around the way the wind changes direction. He was without a doubt the only person I've met so far who told me explicitly that he believes Harry is telling the truth. Luna Lovegood did the same but I'm not sure if she counts since she's nuts. At least this guy seemed sane. I've changed my opinion. This Wayne guy is alright. At least for a Hufflepuff he is.

For the rest of the remaining hour, I do the assignment with Wayne. He's an okay guy. He's not at all like the common Hufflepuff. For one, he's not pushy. Neither is he obnoxious or arrogant. He's nice and the hour seems to pass much quicker than it did when I sat next to Granger.

When professor Sprout announces the end of class, I at least expect Harry to wait for me this time but once again he's gone by the time I've put away all my stuff.

"Are you looking for your brother?" Wayne asks when he sees me looking around in confusion. "He already left in the direction of the Great Hall. I guess he was hungry."

He left again? What kind of big brother is he? Yes, he's two minutes older and likes to use it to his advantage every chance he gets. He might be older, but I'm a hell of a lot better at taking care of my twin.

I figure I've still got a chance to catch up with him before I lose him in the mass I'm sure will be present in the Great Hall. I was right. When I enter the castle again, I spot the head of unruly black hair not that far away. But it's lunch time and with all the people gathering here, it took some time before I reached him. I caught his sleeve however before he entered the Great Hall.

"Why didn't you wait for me?" I asked him kind of angry.

"Why should I?" He snapped back at me and that took me by surprise.

He left me to fend for myself. He didn't wait for me, twice, which forced me to accept Cedric Diggory's help. Cedric Diggory! I've got a reason to be angry, he doesn't.

"Because it would be the nice thing to do, to wait for your sister who only just started classes here since today." I shout but luckily no one but Harry can hear me because of the crowd here.

"No, the nice thing to do is not go behind my back and tell Umbridge you hope she'll punish the lies out of me!"

Oh.

How could he have heard that? He was already gone by the time I left the classroom. Doesn't matter though. I can't have Harry thinking I turned my back on him. So I drag him into the nearest cupboard I can find, him protesting the entire time.

"What are you doing?" He huffs angrily once I lock the door behind me.

"First off, I was going to tell you this the first chance I got but since you didn't wait for me, twice, that's only now."

"Tell me what? That you've joined forces with the ministry?"

Doesn't he hear himself how stupid that sounds?

"Join forces? Have you already forgotten what I told you before we left for Hogwarts? I'm the only person of who you'll never have to doubt who I'm loyal to. I'm always on your side, remember?"

"You have a strange way of showing that."

"Jeez, Harry! You may be a good dueller and all that but you suck at strategy. Getting Umbridge angry in class the way you did was probably the worst thing you could have done for yourself. The most dangerous thing you can do right now is act like the threat the ministry believes you to be. Which is exactly what you've been doing. If Umbridge believes that I'm not behind you, that could pay off in the long run."

"For who?"

"For us!" I point to him and me. "But it can only work when Umbridge thinks I share the same opinion as her."

"But you don't?" He says warily.

"Of course not. I wanted to crack open her skull when she sprouted all that nonsense. How can we defend ourselves and learn the spells if all we get to do it study the theory?!"

He was finally smiling a little and I guess he believed me now. What an idiot for thinking I'd actually turn my back on him.

"Umbridge is going to be a threat to us, isn't she?" he sighs eventually.

"Yes, but as long as she believes the lies I've told her, we'll always be one step ahead of her."

I didn't know yet exactly how that was going to work but I'm sure there's some big advantage in it.

"Can we please go to the Great Hall now? Because I am starving!" Harry says.

After eating lunch, I had Ancient Runes with Granger, Charms and Care of Magical Creatures. I was a bit surprised to find the last class was taught by none other than Rubeus Hagrid. I didn't know he was a professor, I always thought he was just the game keeper. I know he's a nice man and all but I'm not so sure about his abilities as a teacher. I'm pretty sure he just told us dragons should be petted. I'm certain that's not good advice.

"So does Hagrid always talk about animals none of us even believe exist?" I asked Harry on our way back to the common room. It was still too early for dinner.

"Most of the time, yes." Harry shrugged.

"When's your detention with Umbridge?" Granger asked him once we reached the tower and made ourselves comfortable on the couch.

"Tonight." He sighs.

I wish he didn't have to go or maybe even get in trouble myself so I could at least join him but that would kind of go in against the plan to make Umbridge like me.

"Don't say things you'll regret." I tell him.

"Like the truth?" He cocks an eyebrow.

"Yes, the truth is very upsetting to some people." I accompanied the sentence with one of my famous glares pointed towards two girls sitting in the corner who had obviously been gossiping about Harry.

"You know what also displeases people?" Weasley asked me. "The things that come out of your mouth so do us all a favour and Shut. Up."

Before Harry could say anything about his friend's bad behaviour or warn me not to retaliate, I had already whipped out my wand and hexed him. It's a pretty handy spell. Whoever it is pointed at, can't say anything for the next two hours without burping the alphabet. It's a nifty spell uncle Sirius showed me and the best part is, there's not counter spell.

"Did you just do nonverbal magic?" Granger stared at me with her mouth hanging half open.

"Yeah, though I can see why you think Weasley would just burp out the alphabet on his own free will. It does sound like something the oaf would do." I grin at the boy who can't even insult me back without all the people in the common room looking at him in disgust.

"But we haven't learned nonverbal magic yet. That's something for next year."

"Yeah, so?" I cock my eyebrow.

"Where did you learn to do that?" She's trying hard not to let her admiration for my nonverbal spell shine through but the curious gleam is still clear in her eyes.

"What's –A-" Weasley burps. "the – B – counter – C – spell –D? E!"

The people sitting close to where we are turn their heads in disgust towards him. They didn't hear me say a spell so are probably just assuming he's rude.

"There is no counter spell." Harry sighs.

"What?!" Weasley tries to say but it comes out in a big burp.

"Dad and uncle Sirius invented the spell when they were at Hogwarts and never bothered to come up with a counter spell." Harry explains to his baffled friend.

"Finite Incantatem." Granger still tries but just like I could have predicted, it didn't work.

"Cheer up, Weasley, it will only last for the next two hours." I grin widely at him.

He looks like he wants to kill me right now but luckily he gets distracted by Harry telling us he has to go to the detention with Umbridge right now.

"Good luck." I smile at him before he leaves the common room and I'm stuck with his two friends.

"Well, I'm going to find some other company. Anyone will do." I sigh and get up.

I know it's only been a day since I've started at Hogwarts but I already miss Beauxbatons. I miss my friends and I miss Noa the most. Right now we would be doing I don't know what but at least I'd be having fun. As opposed to now. All the students in the common room seem to be studying. On the first day! What is wrong with them?

Then I suddenly remembered that I had something rather special packed away in my trunk. I have the Marauders' Map. I shouldn't be pining away in the common room. Instead I should be breaking some rules.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." I point my wand to the blank piece of parchment and the familiar map starts to show.

I don't know quite yet what I'm going to do with this wonderful invention and legacy but one thing's for sure. I won't be doing it in the Gryffindor Tower.

"Where are you going?" Granger asks me when I pass her in the common room on my way to the portrait hole.

"Where does it look like I'm going?" I smile while waving the Marauders' Map at her.

Her protests easily disappear once I close the portrait behind me. Now the question is what to do?

I've learned many things since I've come to Hogwarts. I've learned that Umbridge is crazy and just about ready for the nut house. I've learned that Granger is a goody-two-shoes. Nah, just kidding. I already knew that. I've learned that I am cunning but not leader material. Still kind of annoys me but I'll get over it. And now I've learned that if I go out to pull some mischief in this castle, I must have a plan before leaving the common room because brilliant pranks won't just come to me.

So now I'm basically just wondering the hallways, getting to know the castle which is freaking huge! I might not have any idea on how I could be a perfect rebellious student but a light bulb still went on in my head when I saw a familiar name on the map.

Cyril Meakin was a name that didn't immediately ring a bell but I quickly realised who it was. He had been the Gryffindor prefect last year who made a big deal out of me being in their common room. He had also been the one to tell me where I could find the prefect bathroom. I might not be one of his favourite persons in the house but I was still in his house. And isn't it his job as a prefect to help me with all my questions? I had a very good one for him.

So when he rounded the corner and came into the hallway I was, I didn't try to hide. I wanted him to find me.

"Mischief managed." I said and the Map returned to an ordinary piece of parchment.

"Hey, what are you doing here?!" Cyril said when the light from his wand illuminated my face.

"Thank God you're here!" I exclaimed. "I couldn't find my way back to the common room after dinner and I've been wandering these hallways for hours."

I must have looked really panicky because he seemed to believe my bullshit story. Who knew I was such a great actress?

"Alright, alright." He lowered his wand. "I'll bring you back to the common room."

I played the part of grateful damsel in distress and when I threw him a little compliment about him being my hero, I got on his good side again. That was easy.

"So how come you were wandering the hallways right now? Isn't there some kind of curfew for the students?" I asked him when we walked back in the direction I came from.

"I'm a prefect." He announced proudly.

As if I didn't already know that. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at him, instead I chose to look at him in (fake) admiration.

"What's that?"

"Every year one boy and one girl from the fifth year are chosen to carry a great responsibility."

He was acting as if the prefect badge made him something close to Minister of Magic.

"They have to keep the other students in check, make sure they don't break any rules." Well, he wasn't doing a very good job at it. Neither was Granger by the way. She had just let me walk out of the common room right before curfew. "And they're also the ones who organise big events like dances and do the decoration for Halloween. And as you can see, we also patrol the castle at night to make sure all the students are in their common room."

Aha, now things were getting interesting.

"Do you have to do that every night?" I gasp, even though I know very well that's not the case.

"No, it's two different students every night."

"How do you know when it's your turn?" I frowned as if my IQ was lower than the numbers of floors in this castle.

"We've all gotten a schedule so we know what nights we have to patrol."

"So you have a schedule on which you can see who is patrolling when?"

That was the real question of course. If I knew which prefects were patrolling when, I'd have some extra information and just like befriending Umbridge there was an advantage to it. Except that with this, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it.

"No, it only shows my shifts."

Darn it! That kind of ruins the plan.

"The only ones who have the schedule with everyone on it are the Head Boy and Head Girl." Cyril explained to me.

Double fuck! There is no way I'm going to suck up to the Head Boy to get what I want. I'll just play nice with the Head Girl instead. How hard can that be?

"Who's the Head Girl?" I asked him.

I might have taken it too far. He suddenly looked at me kind of suspicious and I still needed him to tell me who to suck up to.

"Just so that I'll know who to address if I have a problem of some sort. That is the job of a Head Girl, right?" I stayed in my innocent role.

"Yes, though you can always ask me for help as well." He smiles at me what I'm sure is supposed to be a charming smile.

"Right." I smile back. "But what if I can't find you?"

Why won't he just tell me her name?

"You can always ask the other prefects. You can recognise them by the badge on their robes."

I just want the freaking name! If he doesn't say it soon, I'm going to get out of character. He might like poor defenceless Danny, but I'm sure he won't like the real me.

"It's Gemma Farley."

Finally.

"But she might not be someone you want to go to with your issues. She's not very... helpful, or nice, or human for the matter. She's the perfect Slytherin." He said without hiding his dislike for the girl.

Great, of course with my luck it would be a Slytherin who would without a doubt already hate me for the simple reason that I'm a Gryffindor. Surely the fact that my last name is Potter won't do much good either.

"But you could always ask the Head Boy."

Like hell I was going to do that.

"He's nice and very helpful. His name is Cedric Diggory."

"I know." I grumbled in anger but luckily he didn't hear that.

There is no way I'll ask Diggory for anything ever again. I'll just suck up to the evil Slytherin instead.

"Ok, thanks." I quickly said goodbye to Cyril once we made it into the common room.

Harry was already back and sitting with Weasley and Granger in front of the fire place. There weren't a lot of people in the common room left. It was already getting late so I guess most people already went to bed.

"What were you doing with Cyril Meakin?" Granger asked me suspiciously.

"He was saving me from the dangerously confusing labyrinth this castle is." I say in that awful damsel voice. "Thank God the prefect was there to bring me back safely to the common room."

"But you took the Map with you. How could you have been lost?" Weasley, on who the spell had clearly worn off a little sooner than I had predicted, said.

"So?" I cock an eyebrow at him.

"You weren't lost, were you?" Harry asks me.

"Of course not! I-"

My sentence is cut off when I notice Harry is holding his hand into a bowl with a weird looking substance.

"What's that," I point towards the bowl.

"Murtlap Essence." Granger said.

Why? Murtlap Essence is used to relieve pain and helps a wound to heal faster. Why would Harry need it?

Before he could block me, I put my hand in the bowl and pulled his out of it.

I gasped loud and clear when I saw the scar forming on my brother's hand. The sentence 'I must not tell lies' was engraved in his hand and looked bloody red and painful.

"What the hell did that?!" I look my brother in the eye.

"That is the remains of my detention with Umbridge." He sighs.

"That is not detention, that's disfiguration!" I shout angrily.

"Calm down, Danny."

"Calm down! Calm down? Look what she did to you! There must be some rules against that. She cannot do this. She won't get away with this!"

I was already getting up from my seat next to Harry, prepared to go make a very serious complaint about Umbridge, possibly accompanied by a lot of swear words and maybe a few hexes. But Harry pulled me back into my seat before I could even set one foot in the direction of the portrait hole.

"You're supposed to make her like you, remember?"

"Fuck that!" I try to wiggle out of his grip but he's a lot stronger than he looks and every time I do get up, he just pulls me right back. "Let go of me, Harry! I have to go give her a piece of my mind."

"You're going to give her the exact reaction she's waiting for. Don't give her the satisfaction, Danny."

I still want to go make a horrible scene in her office but unfortunately Harry is right. It would do more damage than good. I just cannot believe she would do something like that.

"How did she do it anyway?!" I ask him still fuming but at least I'm not trying to leave again.

"A blood quill." Granger says before Harry gets the chance to open his mouth.

"A what?"

I had never heard of a blood quill before. Though you have to admit it's not that hard to figure out it isn't something pleasant. Just look at Harry's hand. It looks pretty damn painful.

"It is a dark object, a quill that does not write with ink but with the blood of the person who's using it."

"It sounds more like a torturing device than a quill." I huff angrily.

"It will only scar when the writing is often repeated so please don't get another detention with her." Granger pleads with Harry.

I couldn't agree more with her this time. Detention usually just sucks but detention with Umbridge was apparently potentially dangerous for your health. I don't want him to do that again. Why would she make him do such a thing? Surely she must realise that doing this won't actually make him stop telling everyone the truth.

Suddenly I thought of a conversation I had earlier today. I groan pitifully and Harry actually looks concerned about me.

"What is it?" He asks me.

"Nothing. "I quickly say. "I'm just tired and angry. I'm going to bed."

I said goodnight to Harry, even to Granger and Weasley although it was pretty reluctantly, before hurrying up the stairs to my dorm.

The other girls were already asleep so I quietly got changed and slipped under my warm covers.

The reason I suddenly felt the need to leave the three downstairs and in particular the boy with the bleeding hand was the fact that it was my fault. In the conversation I had with Umbridge this morning, I told her I hoped she'd punish the lies out of him. How could I have said that? About my own brother? He's my family, my twin. Sure, I had only been playing a part but I still said those words. I should have thought about the possibility that she'd actually take them to heart and punish him severely. Stupid, stupid Danny! So far I wasn't really doing a great job at protecting him from harm.

And I missed Beauxbatons. I really did. I had only been here for one day. But the entire day I tried not to think about what I'd be doing in that moment had I not changed schools. By now my friends will have figured out that I'm not coming back to school. I didn't tell any of them beforehand. Every time Noa asked me something about next year in one of her letters, I just ignored the question. I'm sure that must have driven her crazy over the summer.

I had been staring at the wall when suddenly I hear a loud shriek coming from the bed of one of the other girls. I could just stay lying in my bed but I had a pretty good idea what could have caused the shriek.

"Oh my god, there's a fire breathing rat in my bed!" One of the girls screamed at the top of her lungs.

I don't know if fire breathing rats actually exist but I know from good source that there is a fire breathing mini-dragon in this dorm. So I quickly got out of my bed again to see that the other girls had done the same and stood around the bed of Lavender Brown.

"What is that?" One of the other girls, who I hadn't met yet, asked.

"It's a dragon." I say when I notice that indeed, Frye had found a way to leave my bed and make it into Lavender's.

"Dragons are usually way bigger." The girl who I'm assuming is Lee's sister by the way that she looks, says.

"Rat! Rat! Rat!" Lavender keeps shouting while jumping up and down on her bed, afraid that if her feet stay on the mattress for longer than two seconds, she'll die.

"Frye isn't." I reach out my hand to the little devil and he happily prances into it.

"He's yours?"Lavender screams at me with an accusing finger pointed at me.

I think I might have just blown any chance I had to become friends with her. Too bad.

"Yep." I say while walking back to my bed.

"That's pretty cool." Lee's sister, Kellah, says before all the girls go back to their beds.

Puengi, my owl, had to stay in the owlery with all the other owls but no one said anything about it being forbidden to have a miniature dragon in my dorm. They may want to make some adjustments to their rule book because I also didn't read anything about crocodiles or hippogriffs. Might be the next step for me.


	6. The Alphabet

_Thank you __**xXMizz Alec VolturiXx **__and __**Secret world **__for reviewing :) _

Chapter 6

So this is where I am right now in my plan of ruling this school in order to keep Harry as safe as I possibly can:

- Become a student at Hogwarts: CHECK!

- Be placed in the Gryffindor house: CHECK!

- Bug the hell out of Granger and Weasley: DOUBLE CHECK!HH

- Make Umbridge think you totally agree with her and ultimately get on her good side: CHECK!

- Get my hands on the patrolling schedule of the Head Girl: ...

It's a work in progress. As is 'defeat Voldemort', which is all the way at the bottom of my list. It's a very long list.

I knew her name. Gemma Farley. I knew what she looked like. I had Granger, who is a prefect, point her out to me in the Great Hall. She was pretty bulky for a girl and had short blond hair. Her face was that of a Slytherin: unfriendly. And I am now still trying to figure out how to get her so far that she'll willingly hand the schedule over to me. My first approach had been to befriend her.

I waited and waited and waited for her to show up in the library, which I knew she would because I still owned a pair of expendable ears. But she only showed up at the end of the day. Which meant I spend an entire day in the library! All my assignments were done after two hours because we've only been in school for one week. I used the rest of the time to do some reading. I've heard from Harry that this year is the year we'll have to decide what career course we want to take after Hogwarts. Slight problem: I have no idea what I want to do after all of this. And I'll soon have to make a decision because apparently we're going to have a one-on-one conversation with the head of our house to discuss our plans for the future. It will be a very short conversation if I don't have anything to talk about.

The first career path I checked out, was the one I knew enjoyed Harry's preference: auror. I don't understand why my brother is so drawn to it. He'd be bloody brilliant at it, of that I'm sure. But wouldn't he get tired of always being the one to fight the bad guys. I'm already tired of it and I'm convinced the hardest part isn't even close to being over.

Granger wants to go into Magical Law. It sounded pretty ambitious to me. Then she said it was to liberate all the house elves. Yeah, I'm guessing she won't be making herself very popular with that in a world where the top is only crowded with purebloods, who by the way all own house elves. Nah, that didn't sound like something I'd want either.

The third one I did some research on was the career of Healer. It's a great way to devote your life but it didn't sound like something for me. Especially when the character criteria was being patient, friendly and able to work together with all kinds of people. Not my thing either.

For a brief moment I actually considered teaching. But then I thought about every professor I've ever had classes from. They're all very different but have one thing in common: socially awkward. Now awkwardness is something that happens to everyone but professor-awkwardness is like a whole new level. Do I really want to be stuck in a castle with those kind of people? I'll pass.

A ministry job doesn't sound appealing to me either. A 9 to 5 job would kill my personality and though I'm sure some people – Weasley - would find that an improvement, I'm rather satisfied about the one I've got. No thanks to the ministry as well.

What's left? Well, not much actually. I could always work at Gringots but that also falls under the previous category. Maybe run a shop but that didn't sound very appealing either.

I was still deciding between doing some research on what career path I could take with potions and just pretty much give up, when Gemma Farley finally entered the library. She sat down at a table in the Anatomy section. I quickly closed the book about potions that can kill you I had been reading and made my way over to her table.

I figured just saying 'Hi' wasn't the way to approach a bitter Slytherin so instead I opted for pretending I was searching for a book. Without realising it I was standing in front of the books that explained to the reader what interspecies sex was. I just hope she doesn't realise what book I'm holding right now.

"Hi, could you maybe help me with something?" I asked friendly but not in the sickening sweet voice I've gotten so good at. I'm sure a Slytherin wouldn't appreciate that.

"What?!" She huffed angrily as if asking her a question was some kind of crime.

"I was just wondering if you could tell me where I could find a book on Mallowsweet?"

I had asked her about the first plant that came to mind but when I saw her rise her eyebrows in surprise, I found myself wishing I had asked her about a plant I really knew something about and not just the name.

"You want to find a book about an illegal herb that gives people hallucinations?" She cocked an eyebrow.

"Sure?"

If I was hoping I'd get her to like me if she thought I was into getting high, I was soon proven wrong.

"If you ever ask me such a thing again I will have to report you to the Headmaster for usage and possibly dealing of illegal herbs in this school."

She closed her books and left me standing there. Plan A: befriending her, was not a success.

"What did you do to piss off Gemma Farley?" Diggory, who just showed up out of the blue, asked me.

"That's not really your concern, now is it?" I huffed and put the book I had been holding back in its place.

But he was slightly faster than me and pulled the book back by my wrist.

"Intercourse with a werewolf during the full moon: the do's and don'ts?" He read the title out loud with a cocked eyebrow.

"I can read about whatever I want." I snapped and pulled my wrist out of his grip. I quickly put the book back as well because I didn't want anyone else to associate me with such a book. I was also trying really hard to fight back the insistant blush that wanted me to resemble a tomato.

"Of course you can." He smiles. 'But people might get the wrong impression of you."

"Is there something specific you wanted or is this year's project annoying me any way you can. If it is, you're doing a swell job."

"Ouch, Danny." He says without looking very hurt.

"Potter." I correct him. I do remember me taking back his privilege to call me by my first name.

"Fine: Ouch, Danny Potter."

I sigh in annoyance. I'm not even going to bother to respond to him anymore.

"You didn't answer my question; What did you want with Gemma Farley?"

"She has something I want."

"Maybe I could help you with it, that is if you want my help of course."

"Believe me when I say I want absolutely nothing from you."

I left the library and thanked my lucky stars that this was one of the rare moments Diggory didn't follow me.

So plan A had failed. I tried again other moments to approach her but every time she saw me coming, she just gave me a hard glare and never even let me open my mouth. I think she knew I wanted something from her.

But when Plan A fails, there's always plan B and to be honest, I hadn't really thought I would succeed in befriending the bitter Slytherin Head Girl. So in a way plan B had always been the real plan: blackmail her into giving me what I want. Now, that's something I'm a lot better at than playing nice with someone to make them like me.

I figured someone like Farley would no doubt have a whole pile of dirt I could dig up on her. I was a little disappointed in it though. I got into Filch's office late one night to break into the archive of the students to see what kind of bad things she had done in the past. There was nothing useful in there. Sure, she had gotten into detention a few times but who hasn't? Granger doesn't count.

I looked things up in the library about her family and found absolutely nothing. I borrowed the invisibility cloak from Harry and eavesdropped on her friends and found out absolutely nothing. I even went through her bag when I had once again used the cloak from Harry but also then I found nothing. So since there was nothing to blackmail Farley with, I guess you could technically call plan B a failure as well.

That brought me to plan C and I hoped to God that one would be successful because plan D involved sucking up to Diggory and I really didn't want to do that. Plan C involved sneaking in the Slytherin common room and just steal the schedule from her dorm. It might be riskier than the previous plans but it would just have to do. I was getting kind of desperate.

From Harry I knew where the Slytherin common room was since he went there in his second year under the influence of Polyjuice potion. I wasn't going to do that. I was going to go for good old fashioned invisibility. Harry is probably aware of the fact that I'm up to something because I've been borrowing the cloak a lot lately.

I might not know the password to get into their common room but all I had to do was wait for a Slytherin to say it for me and I could just sneak in with them. I did it during lunch so the chance of a lot of people disturbing my plans was minimal but at the same time that also meant not a lot of people were going to come and open the entrance to the common room for me.

I waited for fifteen minutes when finally a first year walked down the hallway and stopped in front of the wall where I knew the common room lay behind.

"Merlin hates mudbloods."

I could have figured the password would be something like that. What's wrong with a good old fashioned roman phrase?

I quickly followed the boy into the common room before the wall would snap close again.

The light in the Slytherin common room was different. It had a sort of green glow to it. Harry had told me this was because the common room was situated right under the Black lake. I don't think I'd be very comfortable in here, knowing a whole lake was above my head just waiting for one crack in the ceiling to drown us all. Nope, I am much happier in a tower.

The atmosphere here was also a lot colder than in the Gryffindor common room. Everything here was just so structured and tight. It made me really glad that the sorting hat put me in the house with warm fireplaces and cushy sofas.

But the basic of the common room was the same. One big room where you could lounge, study and hang out with your friends. One stairs that led to the boys' dorms and one to the girls'. I went up the stairs to the dorm of the seventh year Slytherin girls.

While our dorms were round (once again because of the tower) , this one was square and a lot larger than ours. But they didn't have any windows.

I was glad to see there were only four beds in the room. It shouldn't be that hard to find Farley's bed.

It wasn't the first bed because that one had a pink bear on top of it. I'm having a hard time imagining Farley falling asleep at night with the bright cuddly teddy tucked in her arms. Actually, I'm having a hard time imagining any Slytherin girl like that. But the fact that someone had carved 'Anna's bed' into the wood, had me completely convinced that this really wasn't the bed I was looking for.

The second bed didn't have any indication of whose it could be. So I was forced to go through all of this girl's stuff to finally find a diary with the name 'Britt' written on it. I may have made an absolute mess of her things but at least I knew this bed wasn't Farley's either.

The next one was. The photo on her bed side table was kind of a giveaway. I could have saved myself time and energy if I had just looked there first. Finding the schedule however wasn't that easy. I looked in her trunk (and also made a mess of her stuff), threw around all her clothes, even checked the bathroom but I couldn't find the damn piece of paper anywhere.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck!" I swore when I was kind of running out of time. Lunch would end in ten minutes and if I wouldn't be back by then I'd miss my first class of the afternoon.

I ripped her sheets of her bed but it wasn't there either. I threw her pillow on the floor but it hadn't been hidden underneath it either.

"Accio schedule." I said desperately but just like I had expected, nothing happened.

I wasn't going to give up but I was certainly contemplating on leaving now and coming back some other time. Of course they would be kind of tipped off that someone had been in the room thanks to the mess I made.

But then I thought of where I kept something important to me. I didn't keep the Marauder's Map in plain sight even though it just seems to be a plain piece of parchment to everyone else. I got on my knees and checked under her bed. And yes, there it was. Stuck on the bottom of her bed was the schedule. I quickly took it and got back on my feet.

I knew I couldn't just take it with me. Farley would know someone stole it. So instead I used a handy spell to copy it.

"Duplex Charta!" I whispered and suddenly I was holding two identical pieces of paper in my hand.

I stuck the original back where I found it and folded the other one so it would fit in my bag.

And now I have to get out of here as fast as I can.

I was lucky to not cross anyone on my way to class. There wasn't any time left to return the invisibility cloak to Harry's dorm so I just stuffed it in my bag as well. If I'd hurry I could still make it to class.

Professor Flitwick deducted five points of Gryffindor because I was late. I just cursed inwardly and sat next to Harry.

"Where were you? I didn't see you anywhere at lunch." He whispered to me after the professor told us which spell we should practise.

"I was busy." I shrugged.

I wasn't really intending to tell Harry about all the rules I had and was still planning to break. The less he knows the better.

"Busy doing what?" Granger butted in.

"If I wanted you to know, I would have told you." I snapped harshly at her.

"Is it something illegal?" Harry frowned.

"Of course it is."

"Are you in trouble?"

"Not yet."

"Are you going to get in trouble?"

"Wasn't really planning on it." I shrug.

"Are you-"

"Mr and Mrs Potter! Since you've seemed to already mastered the spell, how about a little demonstration?" Professor Flitwick interrupted our conversation.

Oh, crap! What spell was it again? When I looked at Harry, I could tell he also had no idea what the professor was expecting of the both of us.

"That's what I thought. Five points from Gryffindor each and do try to pay attention in class from now on."

Ouch, I'm not making myself very popular with my fellow Gryffindors. I've lost a lot more points than I've earned so far. Maybe I should try to pay more attention in class and answer a question. That way I could earn back some points.

On our way to Care of Magical Creatures, Granger was once again trying to find out where I had been during lunch. If I wasn't even going to tell my own brother, what makes her think I actually want her to know?

"Granger, for the love of God, can't you just shut up?!" I snapped at her because having her question me the entire way had been rather exhausting.

"You told Harry yourself that the best thing he could do was keep a low profile. That applies to you as well." She huffed.

"This is me keeping a low profile." I frowned.

"Well, it needs some work. You're attracting a lot of attention." Weasley said.

I didn't understand what he meant by that until I saw a few groups of girls trying to glare me to death.

"Why are they looking at me like that?" I ask Granger.

"Because you're not keeping a low profile." She says smugly.

She's no help at all. I was glad to see none of those girls were in my next class.

The Gryffindor girls had proven me wrong, well some of them did. Lavender Brown was a real airhead and super-superficial. I didn't care much for her. Her best friend Parvati Patil was okay, I think. I haven't really gotten the chance to talk to her a lot since she's always with Lavender and that girl's got a mouth that just won't stand still for one second. It's very tiresome to listen to her yapping away. Fay Dunbar was a typical girly girl as well but I thought she was cool. Kellah Jordan was the girl I liked the most so far, mainly because she's just the female version of Lee. He and the Weasley twins are actually the people I've spend most of my free time with so far, when I'm not busy being Harry's guard dog of course.

The twins have a pretty great invention but I'm not really supposed to tell anyone about it. Oh, whatever! They call it the Skiving Snackbox, which basically means it contains everything to make skipping class easy. Maybe not the most honourable thing to invent according to most people but I think it's a gift from heaven. It contains four things: Fainting Fancies (which of course makes you faint), Fever Fudge (the name says it all), Nosebleed Nougat and my personal favourite: Puking Pastille. Though I've never tried one myself before, I've seen what the experiments on first years did. Bloody amazing invention!

Today the class of Care of Magical Creatures was given in the forbidden forest. Normally it's on the edge of it but now we're actually going in. As a teacher, isn't Hagrid supposed to discourage us from entering the woods?

"Gather around, quickly." He called out the last ones who entered the forest. "Today I'm going to show you a rare breed."

He was smiling at us excitedly and swinging back and forth what I think was an animal once but now just looked like a half eaten carcass. I don't think I want to meet this rare breed that feeds off that.

"Everyone has to be very quiet, else they won't come."

He threw the meat in the middle of the open field and came to stand next to the students. If I hoped this rare animal would show up then I was sorely disappointed. We waited for a good ten minutes and still nothing happened. Maybe this rare breed is imaginative?

"Shh, there's one over there." Hagrid suddenly points towards the tree line.

I was pretty excited to finally see this strange animal but there was nothing there. Hagrid was just pointing at an empty space. I was going to nudge Harry between the ribs and tell him the groundkeeper has probably gone bonkers but he wasn't even paying attention to me. He was staring at the spot where there was supposedly an animal. I checked again. Nope, still nothing there.

"Oh, an' here comes another one." Hagrid said excitedly.

What is he talking about? There is nothing to see.

"Put yer hands up, who can see 'em?"

To my surprise two people in our class raised their hands: Harry and Neville. There really was something to see then?

"See what?" I whispered to my brother.

Suddenly the carcass that had been lying on the forest floor moved, like something was pulling at it. A part of the meat was ripped off it and just disappeared. As if some big invisible animal had swallowed it.

"What's doing that?" Parvati shrieked in a trembling voice. "What's eating it?"

"Thestrals." Hagrid announced proudly.

I had never heard of those things and I wasn't the only one but Parvati knew what they were.

"But they're really, really unlucky!" She says alarmed. "They're supposed to bring all sorts of horrible misfortune to people who can see them. Professor Trelawney told me once-"

"No, no, no," He says. "tha's jus' superstition, that is, they aren' unlucky. They're dead clever an' useful. Course, this lot don' get a lot o' work, it's mainly jus' pullin' the school carriages unless Dumbledore's takin' a long journey an' don' want to Apparate – an' here's another couple, look!"

Hagrid was trying to show us where they were standing but I was thinking about what he had just said. They pull the carriages. Harry had seen them then and must have felt like he was losing his mind. He could never see them before this year. So what changed? What made him see these animals that I couldn't?

"Why can't we see them?" I asked Hagrid.

Without even having the chance to open his mouth, Granger's hand shot up in the air.

"Go on then." He nodded towards her.

"The only people who can see Thestrals, are people who have seen death."

People who saw someone die.

I had to wait until dinner to get the chance to talk to Harry alone. During classes wasn't the right time and sitting in the Great Hall surrounded by all the students wasn't great timing either.

"Take a walk with me." I told him and pulled him by the hand outside the Great Hall and onto the grounds.

He didn't seem very happy with spending some time alone with me, probably because he knows what I want to talk about.

"Why could you see them, the Thestrals I mean?"

He sighs.

"Didn't you hear what Hermione said?"

"Yes, I did and despite the fact that you have seen some awful things, I do believe no one actually died in front of you before."

Our grandparents don't count. I know they died right in front of us, in our old bedroom but I had been there as well. And I sure as hell could not see the unfortunate creatures.

"Someone did." He said softly.

"When?"

"At the graveyard. Voldemort killed one of his followers."

"Why didn't you tell me?" I ask him calmly even though I kind of want to yell at him for keeping such a thing from me.

"Tell you what? That I feel awful for watching a man die, a man who deserved to die?!"

He's not angry. I know the yelling can make you think that but he's not. He's confused as to why he feels guilty for not doing anything.

"Nobody deserves to die." I tell him. "He had a life, he might not have done much good with it but every life is valuable."

He doesn't say much else, doesn't want to so I change the subject to something more pleasant.

"Are you ready for the upcoming try-outs?"

"I guess so. I haven't really had much time to practise."

"Practise? Please, Harry, you could be at your worst game and still be the best seeker this castle has ever seen."

"How about your game? Have you been flying lately?"

"No, and I don't have to. I'm already awesome at it."

I'm lying. I have been practising. Not out of fear of making a fool of myself because I know I'm a good chaser. But there's only one spot on the team for chaser and I know Ginny Weasley has her eye on it as well. She, unfortunately for me, is also a good chaser. So I just have to be the better one.

"Ron's been practising, like crazy. He's afraid you're right and he's going to fail at it."

"I am right." I smile smugly.

"Danny," He sighs. "He's really insecure about his chances at becoming the keeper."

"Really? I would have thought for sure he would be the most insecure about his looks. That's what I'd be worrying about if I were him." I grin.

"Very funny. I was just wondering if maybe you'd be willing to help him out."

"Help him out with what? I can't magically make him into a good keeper." I snort.

"I promised him I'd help him get ready for the try-outs but I'm not a chaser. He should practise with someone who's used to scoring around a keeper."

I think about it for a second.

"Do I get to mock him when he fails at catching the quaffle?" I ask.

"No!"

"Then there really isn't much in it for me, is there?"

"Just be my nice sister and help him out."

"You don't have a nice sister." I grin.

"Please? All the other people trying out for keeper are awful, personality wise as well."

I was nice enough to refrain from telling my brother his best friend belongs in that category as well.

"We need a good keeper and it will soon be your team as well. Don't you want the best possible team?"

He's manipulating me. I know he is but I still find myself muttering my agreement. But I'm not going to go easy on Weasley and I will definitely mock him when he sucks at it. Even if Harry told me not to.

"By the way, you should probably know there's a rumour going around the school." He says.

"The one about Snape? Yes, I heard that one too. Who knew that guy could possible get it on with someone of the female gender even if it is a centaur." I shake my head.

"No, not that one. What kind of weird rumour is that anyway?"

He looks kind of repulsed by the image the rumour created in his head. He shivers in disgust. I did as well the first time I heard Snape is supposedly involved in a sexual relationship with a female centaur.

"Then what rumour were you talking about?" I ask him when we start to return to the castle since it's getting rather cold.

"They say you're in a relationship with Cedric Diggory."

"WHAT?!"

What kind of stupid rumour is that?! Me, with Diggory?! Yuck!

"It kind of makes sense , you know." Harry shrugs. "I know you guys get along."

"It doesn't make any sense at all!" I yell angrily at him even though my anger isn't really directed at him but at the moron who came up with that ridiculous rumour. "We don't get along! I hate his guts!"

"Since when?" He frowns. "You were friends last year."

"Things change!" I huff. "Now I hate him."

People change. Or maybe just the way you look at a person changes. But Cedric Diggory is no longer the person he was last year. I liked that Cedric. He was sweet and funny and when I thought that Cedric died, I balled my eyes out.

But the Cedric Diggory I've seen this year isn't like that at all. That Diggory is a traitor and an ass-hole and likes to get on my nerves. I hate that one.

"Because of me?" Harry asks.

Yes, because of you. But I couldn't tell him that. I couldn't tell him that Diggory practically called him a liar in The Daily Prophet. There is a reason that I burned that interview the first chance I got, to prevent Harry from knowing that.

"He probably doesn't believe me either." He sighs.

"I don't know what he thinks." I lie smoothly.

"You shouldn't hold it against him if he doesn't believe me. Nobody does."

"I believe you."

"No, you don't. You don't have to. Because you saw it. You know it's the truth. You don't have to believe me on my word because you already know what really happened."

I do. But that doesn't mean I wouldn't believe him if I hadn't seen it with my own two eyes.

"You could tell me Dumbledore has orgies every weekend in his office, and I'd believe you in a heartbeat."

"Iew, that's disgusting, Danny." He laughs.

"Could be true though." I grin at him.

My brother is the most honourable, the only honourable person in this world and I hate that it's the reason he suffers so much. He doesn't deserve that. He doesn't deserve any of the things that have been thrown his way.

"So how come you pick up on those weird rumours?" He smiles.

"Fred and George." I laugh. "I swear they know everything about everyone. Though I do have my doubt on whether or not the rumour about Snape is really true. I mean sure, centaurs have the whole four legs and a coat going on but they still have the upper body and face of a human and that's usually rather beautiful. I'm sure the female centaur can do a lot better than a greasy potions professor."

"You're really mean sometimes." He grins.

"It's not mean. It's honesty." I smile. "And it is appreciated by people."

"Probably not by Snape."

"He's just uptight. I swear that guy needs to get laid."

"Danny!"

"What?" I shrug. I'm sure it's true.

_Reviews are very much appreciated and just might stimulate me to write faster :)_


	7. Quidditch try-outs

_Okay, so this took a little longer than I intended but here it is: a new chapter! But I really want to thank all the great people who reviewed my story and mainly the last chapter: __**avengeme, Prettylittleliarxxx, xXMizz Alec VolturiXx, a person, BlueRose22, XXciciXkitsuXX **__and __**LillyLunaK! **_

_To answer a question I've gotten: I don't know yet if Cedric will be in the DA as well. Yes, since he is alive things will be different from the movies (already some things are thanks to Danny's existence) and I don't know myself yet what Cedric being a live will change. Maybe he will be in the DA, maybe he won't but I can already tell you he'll be a very present character in this story :)_

Chapter 7

I'm already regretting agreeing to help Ron Weasley get ready for try-outs. Actually, I regretted it the moment I told Harry I'd do it. He's not bad at it. Honestly, he isn't. When I arrived at the pitch and he was trying to stop Harry's quaffles, he got every single one of them. He ducked and dived just the way a good keeper should. But then he noticed me getting on my broom and it all went down the drain. He missed every single one of my throws and I wasn't even trying to make it hard on him yet. Why did he suddenly suck at it?

"How hard can it be to catch one quaffle? Just one!?" I yell at him in frustration.

"Danny, he's trying." Harry hushes next to me.

"Well, just plain trying the way he is now, is not going to get him that spot on the team. And you're wasting my time!" I yell at him.

"Nobody forced you to come!" He shouts back angrily.

Actually not the truth. Harry kind of guilt tripped me into doing this.

"Try-outs are tomorrow afternoon. He's not going to get any better than this." I say to Harry.

"Just a little more. I swear he was doing so great before you came."

"Yeah well, stage fright isn't really a good thing when you have to play a Quidditch game with hundred students watching your every move."

Maybe me pointing out the fact that he wouldn't be good enough for the team this way, made him mess it up even more. Because he was even worse after that, if that's even possible. So the three of us walked back to the Great Hall for dinner with a non satisfied feeling.

"How did practise go?" Granger asked us once we sat down.

"Not that bad." Harry tried to mask the failure that was Weasley's training session.

Not that bad? Weasley made the titanic look like a success. At least this is something he agreed on with me because he rolled his eyes at Harry.

"You ready for the try-outs tomorrow?" She asked.

"No, he isn't." I scoff.

Most people were trying out for chaser, unfortunately for me, but Weasley still had some people to beat if he wanted the spot of keeper on the team. I made it a point to know all the people trying out for the spot I wanted.

Ginny Weasley was the biggest threat, coming from a family with all good Quidditch players, if you don't count her youngest brother. I still haven't gotten the chance to see her play but according to the Golden Trio she plays well.

Colin Creevey and his younger brother Dennis are trying out as well but Harry told me they try out every year and they don't really have the skills for it. I thought it was still admirable that they keep trying but Granger told me that the main reason they try out is so that they can spend some time with Harry. Apparently they've been the president and vice-president of the Harry Potter Fan Club for four years now.

A bunch of second years were trying out as well but there is no way they'll be better than me. They're just all so excited about finally being allowed to try out for the team. I'm sure none of them fly as well as me.

For a moment it seemed I was going to get some competition from Cormac McLaggen but he apparently changed his mind and is going for the spot of keeper. He's a damn good flyer so Weasley's in for a hard fight, which he'll lose.

"You just need a good night sleep and tomorrow everything will be okay." Granger smiles. "Off to bed now, all three of you."

"When did you become my mother?" I scoff angrily at her but still did what she told me to do.

Not because she has any authority over me but she was right. If I wanted to kick ass at the pitch tomorrow, I would need my sleep. I crawled into bed quickly and surprisingly enough slept a dreamless sleep.

The next day I was up way too early. I just couldn't fall back asleep, I was too excited about the try-outs. So instead of lying in my bed, I got dressed and went to the Great Hall for breakfast.

"Good luck at the try-outs today." An unknown guy says to me once I sat down at the Gryffindor table.

Since he is sitting at this table and wearing the colours of my house, I think it's safe to assume he's in Gryffindor as well.

"Thanks." I reply, a little confused as to why this guy is talking to me.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"I guess?"

I just hope the question isn't 'Do you think you're brother is a liar?'. because if it is, I swear to Merlin, I'm going to rearrange his face. I've heard that question way too often since I arrived at this school. Which means I've also hexed a few people and was thus unsuccessful at keeping one of the promises to my mother. Well, we all knew that wouldn't last.

"Would you like to go with me to the next Hogsmeade trip?"

That definitely wasn't a question I had been expecting. Sure, since me and Jonathan broke up I have been thinking it's time for me to get back on the horse and start dating again but this guy wasn't really who came to mind.

"Oh, euhm..." I am staling, trying to find the words that make me refusing him sound nicely.

"Hey, babe." Diggory suddenly glides into the seat next to me and presses a soft kiss to my cheek. "Oh, hi there. Was there something you wanted to ask Danny?"

The way he says it, accompanied by the glare makes it pretty clear to the boy that he shouldn't repeat the question.

"No, nothing. Just wishing her good luck for today. So... good luck." The guy disappears as quickly as he had shown up.

"What do you think you're doing?" I huff angrily at Diggory and push his arm off my shoulder that he put there almost possessively.

"Helping you out. It seemed like you were having a hard time saying no to the guy." He smiles happily at me.

It's like every time we see each other again he has forgotten every bad conversation we've ever had. Does he erase it from his memory on purpose or was there just something really wrong going on in his brain?"

"I have no trouble saying no to people."

He just laughs, as if he finds that hard to believe.

"And calling me babe and kissing me," I make a big gesture of wiping my cheek where he had put his lips moments earlier. "was the only thing you could come up with?"

"It did the trick, didn't it?" He shrugs and then tucks my hair behind my ear.

"That!" I slap his hand away. "That is exactly why people think you and I are dating!"

"People think we're dating?" He smiles.

"Yes, apparently that's the gossip around here. Definitely explains why every girl in this school seems to try to glare me to death." I scoff.

"People think we're dating?" He repeats.

"That's what I just said!" I sigh annoyed. "Don't know why someone found it necessary to make up such a ridiculous affair."

"Were you the one to spread the gossip?"

"What?!" I turn angrily towards him. "Why would I do such a thing?!"

I honestly feel really insulted that he thinks I would do such a thing.

"Because you want it to be the truth." He grins arrogantly.

"As if!" I scoff

"You know..." He seems to think about what he's going to say next. "I wouldn't say no if you asked me out."

Before I can get angry and slap him, he once again presses a kiss to my cheek and bolts towards the table of his house.

I wipe my cheek as fast as I can. Doesn't that guy understand boundaries?

"Are you sure nothing's going on between the two of you?" Harry asks me.

I haven't even seen him approaching the table, let alone seen him giving me and Diggory strange looks.

"Positive." I huff.

He looks like there's still something he wants to ask me but seems to decide against it.

"Ready for today?"

"Yep." I smile.

I really am. I feel like I can take on the world today. A little try-out shouldn't be too hard.

"Where's Weasley?" I ask Harry while finally starting on my breakfast.

"Stressing out. He told me to go on ahead. Keeper is the last position for the try-outs anyway."

"Let me guess: chaser's the first one?"

"Of course." He grins.

Even though I felt pretty great today, my nerves still kicked in once we made our way to the Quidditch pit. Harry on the other hand looked the most relaxed I had seen him in days.

"Aren't you nervous?" I ask him, a little annoyed by his laidback attitude.

"Nope, no one has ever caught the snitch before me in a game."

"I have." I grin smugly.

"That's why I'm happy you prefer playing chaser over seeker." He smiles.

Seeker was a fun position as well but you're kind of out of the game with your little quest for the snitch. I prefer being in the middle of it, playing together with the other chasers.

There were already some people present at the pitch when me and Harry arrived there. Angelina, the new Quidditch captain, was of course there as well and writing everyone's name down on a piece of parchment.

"Name?" She asks when we approach her.

"You've known me since my first year." Harry rolls his eyes at her.

"Name?"

"Harry Potter." He sighs.

I give her my name as well and the position I'll be trying out for.

"The chasers are up first. You can get ready over there." She points to where I see Ginny Weasley standing with her broom in hand.

I nod and go join the redheaded girl.

"Good luck." Ginny Weasley smiles at me.

Normally I wouldn't wish her good luck because that's kind of like hoping I'll fall of my broom or make a complete fool of myself. But since it is the nice thing to do, I wish her good luck as well.

"Have you seen Ron?" She suddenly asks me.

Oh, we're really going to have a conversation?

"No, but Harry said he was peeing his pants in the dorm." I say with a straight face.

"He is?" A random second year boy asks me.

"No." I reply dryly. "But Harry did say he was nervous and will be down here any second."

Even though I had actually been directing my words at Ginny Weasley, the small boy once again answered.

"Harry Potter says a lot of things. All of them lies." He huffs.

What?!

I'm pretty sure my face is bright red with anger now. And judging by the fearful look on Ginny's face, she thinks I'm about to explode. Which I am.

"What did you just say?" I hiss angrily at him.

"I said Harry Potter is a big fat liar and the entire wizarding world would be much better off if he had just disappeared into that maze last year. Not to mention-"

I didn't let him say anything else. How you ask? Well, let's just say my fist collided not so gently with his mouth. Oops. I just hit a second year boy who barely reaches my stomach. I realise that makes it kind of unfair and me a bully but come on, he was totally asking for it.

"Danny!" Angelina storms angrily to where the boy and I are standing.

Oh, right. Ginny's here too but she's just gaping at me with an open mouth.

"Did you just hit that boy?" Angelina yells at me.

"No."

"She did!" He whines, clutching his bleeding mouth.

"I saw you hit him." She says.

"Then why did you ask?" I shrug.

"Danny," She sighs. "I can't accept you on my team if you're going to be trouble."

"What? No, no, I wasn't being trouble. It was an accident, I swear."

So it wasn't really an accident but had I known beforehand that hitting that boy would mean I wouldn't be allowed on the team, I wouldn't have done it. Well,... I would have thought it through a tad better.

"She did it on purpose." He whines.

Little rat! It was his goddamn fault anyway. He shouldn't have said such a thing about Harry.

"I'm sorry, Danny, but I'm going to have to ask you to leave." She sighs.

"But I didn't even get to try-out!" I yell.

"I'm sorry." She says again and then bars my name of the list.

And just like that I lost my possible spot on the team.

"What just happened?" Harry asks me when I angrily leave the Quidditch field.

"I can't try-out." I huff furiously.

"What?! Why not?"

"Because I punched the boy!"

"Why would you punch him?"

Because he was calling Harry a liar. Everyone calls him a liar and I'm just so damn sick of it. He knows what the people are saying about him but we don't explicitly talk about it a lot. It just makes him sad when we remind him that he has the reputation of being a liar now.

"He was rude and totally deserved it."

He didn't ask me what the boy had said to get me that angry. He probably knew what it was about.

"I'll go talk to Angelina. I'm sure she'll change her mind."

"Don't bother." I huff.

She looked pretty sure about the decision she made. He's not going to be able to change that. He did still go up to her. I didn't stay around to watch her once again say that I can't get on my broom.

"Where are you going?" Ron Weasley asked me when I crossed paths with him on my way back to the castle. "Is your try-out already over? Did you make the team?"

"Shut up!" I hiss at him.

I was angry. At myself, at Angelina, at the stupid boy. But I was the angriest with someone who didn't deserve my anger at all. I was angry at Harry. Why? Because standing up for him time and time again is not only tiresome and unrewarding, now it also caused me to lose something dear to me. I had really wanted to get back on a Quidditch team.

Knowing Harry did absolutely nothing, except tell the truth about what happened last year, to deserve me yelling at him, I stayed clear of him for the rest of the day. I spend my time wandering around the castle, being particularly harsh to the younger students.

By the time dinner came around, I was starving since I already skipped lunch to avoid the confrontation with Harry and the people who did make it on the team. I thought about just going to find some food in the kitchens the way I knew the golden trio has before but I never bothered asking Harry where it was. Plus I couldn't keep avoiding Harry. Better get it over with quickly. Even though I was still pretty upset about what happened this morning, I had some time to calm down and may not get angry once Harry talks to me. He doesn't deserve me being angry at him. And I'm the one who said I'd always be on his side. I can't go verbally attacking him then.

"Danny, I've been looking all over the castle for you." Harry rushed to me once I stepped inside of the Great Hall. "Where have you been?"

"Everywhere." I shrug. "Nowhere."

"That's not a really an answer." He frowns.

I shrug once again and site down next to granger who looks at me with compassion in her eyes. Ah, that's even worse. Besides, there are way worse things going on than not getting a chance to try out for the Quidditch team of your house.

"I tried talking to Angelina again but she wouldn't butch. I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

It's not like I expected anything else.

By the smile on the youngest Weasley's face, I guess it's safe to say she got the spot of chaser on the team. I'd rather have it be here than that awful boy.

"So I guess Ginny made the team?" I ask nonchalantly while piling food on my plate, trying not to care.

"Yeah, so did I!" Weasley beams.

"Good for you." I grumble and so don't mean it.

"I'm sorry Angelina wouldn't let you try out." Granger starts. "But seriously, what were you thinking? You should never, ever hit a second year old in the face! That was so incredibly irresponsible of you. You should know better than that. You're older than him and no matter what he did or said to make you angry, you should have acted like the bigger person and not-"

"Don't you ever just shut up?!" I yell angrily at her.

The people sitting closest to us stop talking and stare at me in shock. What?! Is it a crime to tell the know-it-all to shut up, just for one minute. It would be a wonderful break for all of us.

"What are you looking at?" I spat at the closest unknown girl.

"N-nothing." She stutters out.

Harry and his friends are staring at me as if I've gone crazy. I kind of have. I get back up, announce to my brother I'm not that hungry after all and leave the Great Hall again without even having had one bite to eat.

Arriving at my dorm, I decide to finally write Noa a letter. Finally, because in the two weeks I've been here I haven't and I've also been ignoring the ones she's written me. For a good reason though. I didn't have the heart to tell her I left Beauxbatons. As far as she and my other friends know I am currently suffering from a very severe case of the dragon pox and will be starting the school year later. I know I shouldn't have lied about something like that but I was afraid of her reaction. Not because she'd get angry – getting her angry is really hard to do by the way – but because I was afraid she'd get upset and I didn't want to hurt her feelings. But I guess after two weeks it's time to tell her the truth. So I grab a piece of parchment and a quill and start on my letter to my best friend.

_Hi Noa,_

_If you're angry at me because I haven't written to you in two weeks, you have every right to be. I could come up with some kind of excuse right now like I've been out completely sick these past few weeks and I couldn't even lift a quill, but the truth is that that would be a lie. I'm not sick, I don't have the dragon pox. I'm not even at home. This is the part where you can cuss me out: I'm at Hogwarts and I will be for the next three years of my school career. _

_I changed schools. I'm not going back to Beauxbatons. I've wanted to tell you, I really did but I was afraid of what your reaction would be. And maybe, just maybe, I was hoping I would still change my mind. It was my own choice to leave Beauxbatons and come to Hogwarts but with every day that passes, I keep wondering if it was the good thing to do. I know it was. From all the things I've ever done this is my most selfless action. Because I'm doing it for Harry and I'm not getting any joy out of it._

_I hope you can forgive me for keeping such an important thing from you. Just know that i really wish I was at Beauxbatons with you and all our friends right now. _

_I miss you._

_Love,_

_Danny_

I really wish she was here right now. At least to her I could talk about everything going on here. Being kicked off the Quidditch team before I even got a chance to get on my broom, having people gossip about me behind my back whether it's because I'm Harry Potter sister or supposedly dating the Golden Boy, me always having to stick up for my brother. I would feel so much better about all of it if I could just have my best friend here with me.

I decided to get Puengi to take this letter to Noa as soon as I could. Else I'll just keep postponing it. So instead of once again pining in my dorm, I made me way to the owlery.

On my way back from my owl's new home, I ran into Cyril.

"Hey, Danny." He smiles at me in greeting.

"Hi, Cyril." I greet back, not half as enthusiastic as he seems to be.

"Are you able to find your way around the castle now?"

"Yeah, thanks."

"I heard you tried out for the Quidditch team." He says.

"About that-"

"I heard the open spots were both taken by Weasleys. Sorry, you didn't make it."

"Yeah," I sigh. "Angelina said-"

"She said you were really good but the Weasley girl was just a tad better."

What?

"She said that?"

"Yep, about an hour ago."

She didn't even see my fly a broom, all she saw was my fist connecting with the boy's face. She didn't tell Cyril the reason I'm not on the team? Why would she lie about something like that? And if she told that made up story to Cyril, does that mean no one but the people present know I punched a little boy?

"Yeah... bummer." I frown.

"Don't take it too hard. Being a transfer student is pretty hard, you don't need Quidditch practice on top of that."

As if he has any idea what the word 'hard' really means.

I wanted to go ask Angelina why she didn't just tell people what really happened but at the same time I was a little worried that talking to her would just anger me again.

Running into Cyril got my mind focused on something else though. I had the schedule with all the patrols on it. I had wanted it for a certain reason and it's time I put that plan in motion.

Before the curfew would set in, I was going to pay a little visit to the library. I was hoping I'd find there what I desperately needed. I knew what I wanted to find, I just wasn't sure if it existed. It didn't. But this was the closest thing I could find to it:

_Love Potion are a brew which causes the drinker to become infatuated or obsessed with the one who gave them the potion._

_Amortentia is the strongest Love Potion in the world. It is recognisable by its mother-of-pearl sheen and by the spiralling steam that rises from it. The smell of the potion varies from person to person and is dependent upon what each individual finds appealing._

Well, that wasn't completely what I wanted. Amortentia was a bit too strong for what I had in mind.

I needed to find a way to know what goes on in this castle and I've picked the prefects as my eyes and ears. From what I've gathered from the schedule I took from the Head Girl's dorm, every night one girl and one boy patrols around the castle and by the end of their patrol they come together to discuss what they saw. So right now I'm searching for a way to get one of those prefects to tell me what happens in Hogwarts.

I've figured that the easiest way to do that is by slipping the male prefects with some kind of potion or put some sort of spell on them to make them spill their guts out to me. I thought there might be some kind of love potion that would make them willing to give me that information but I don't really want them to become completely infatuated with me.

But... if such a potion doesn't exist, then why don't I just create one like it. I'm good at potions, why wouldn't I be able to create one of my own? It's worth a try. It would probably be based on the same ingredients as a standard love potion.

_Ashwinder eggs are the eggs of the Ashwinder, a magical serpent which is born from the embers of an unattended magical fire. _

_The Ashwinder eggs are extremely hot and flammable, and if not frozen in time, will light fire to the surrounding area. They are bright red, and when frozen, very valuable._

_Frozen eggs are also a common ingredient in potions, particularly Love Potions. _

A common ingredient? Then that shouldn't be too hard to find. Although, the book did say it's very valuable. I don't really feel like spending all my savings on eggs.

_Rose thorns are sharp, hard structures found on the stem of a rose. They have magical proprieties and they are used as an ingredient for Love Potions._

That shouldn't be too hard to obtain either though professors Sprout may not be too happy when I raid her precious roses.

_Pepermint is a mint plant. Severus Snape discovered that adding a sprig of it to the Elixir to Induce Euphoria, counteracted the potion's side effects of unrestrained singing and nose-tweaking. _

_It is also commonly used in both the Wizard and Muggle __world to flavour sweets and concoctions. It is a known flavour of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans._

Professor Snape discovered something? Who knew a professor at Hogwarts could actually accomplish anything? I figured Snape was always too busy being bitter and awful to invent anything.

_Moonstone is a gemstone of medium value. Moonstones are of a milky colour and shine very brightly, almost as though they are a source of their own light. They are a useful potion ingredient. Powdered moonstones are used as an ingredient for the Draught of Peace and in several Love Potions._

Those were the main ingredients for any love potions. I would need to add some other ingredients and experiment a little to find the right dose. I'm not even thinking yet about the stirring way and in what order the ingredients should be added. This little project sounds like an awful lot of work but I'm pretty willing to do it.

Luckily I have the Marauders' Map on me. I am going to need that since I am going to sneak into Snape's office.

_By the way: all the paragraphs that supposedly come from books, come from the Harry Potter wiki. I'm not that creative to invent ingredients. _


	8. Pure Disaster

_Thank you __**BlueRose22 **__and __**xXMizz Alec VolturiXx **__for your reviews. _

_I know I haven't updated in more than three weeks. I am so sorry. Lately I just haven't felt very inspired. That's no excuse though. I'll try to update the next chapter sooner. Just remember that reviews do inspire me ;)_

Chapter 8

Curfew started about twenty minutes ago meaning I probably won't be running into anyone in the hallways right now. On the other hand, it also means there's a big chance Snape is actually present in his office right now. Maybe I need some kind of diversion to make sure he's doing something else at the moment, preferably on the other side of the castle. But what kind of diversion would do that?

It was as if luck was finally on my side, because right when I was fearing I wouldn't come up with anything, Snape stormed out of his office. Luckily he didn't see me standing around the corner.

"Damn Peeves." He grumbles before disappearing out of my sight.

Sometimes I really like that poltergeist, on the days he doesn't decide to make me his victim.

When I slip in graciously, I can't help but wonder this is all just going a little bit too easily. A good potions professor certainly must have something dangerous down here to prevent students from just walking in whenever they please. But when I get into his supply closet, still nothing. Way too easy.

I found the Peppermint and the Moonstones fairly easily as well. He didn't seem to be keeping any Rose Thorns in here but I already know I could get that from professor Sprout. I also found the ingredients I want to put in the potion myself like Asphodel and Billywig sting slime. But I just can't find the Ashwinder eggs. That is kind of a problem since it's one of the main ingredients. Without it this potion won't do anything.

But I haven't looked on the top shelve yet. I grab the ladder and climb all the way to the top which is pretty freaking high. I shove some pots around but it doesn't seem like any of them contain those eggs I need.

"What are you doing?"

The sudden voice had been so unexpected to me, that I instantly drop the jug I was holding. Oh, this is not good!

The voice sounds too young to belong to Snape or to any other member of the faculty. Which can only mean it's a prefect and thanks to the schedule I stole from the Head Girl I know very well which guy is on patrol tonight. Just my luck.

"Danny? Would you like to explain to me what you are doing in Snape's private supply?"

I turn around as good as I possibly can without falling of the ladder and look down at the Head Boy standing in the closet with me.

"Hi, Cedric." I try to smile nonchalantly.

If there was ever a time I should be nice to this guy, it's right now.

"What are you doing here?!"

This is probably the first time I've ever seen him aggravated with me. It's not really nice to see.

"What are _you _doing here?" I try to turn this conversation around.

"I was on patrol when I heard a noise coming from Snape's office. Which is strange since I crossed him in the hallway five minutes ago."

Well, I already knew his presence made way more sense than mine. Should I tell him why I'm here? It's probably for the better if I just lie my way out of this.

"I heard a noise too!" I say. "That's why I came in here but there wasn't anyone."

"Then why were you rummaging through all the ingredients?" He cocks an eyebrow at me, clearly not buying my story for one second.

"Well, you see I was-"

"You look funny!" He suddenly giggles.

Uh...What?! Did Cedric Diggory just giggle? And that not all, he's also pointing at me and clasping his hand over his mouth to prevent himself from laughing out loud. Though giggles and snorts manage to find their way out.

"Are you okay?" I frown.

"Your hair! It's so big!" He squeals.

Squealing? Giggling? Snorting? What the hell is going on here? He had been fine when he entered this closet so it's not like he got hit by someone's spell. Was he playing with me?

"Are you pretending to be weird?"

"Hihi, _you're_ weird!" He giggles once again.

Okay, there is no way a guy like him would actually pretend to be so childish and girly just to mess with me. There's clearly something strange going on here. But what caused him to act like that?

That's when I notice the vial I dropped on the floor. It broke the moment it made contact with the floor. I didn't seen anything strange happen because of it but then again I was preoccupied with making up an excuse. Maybe I have somehow not been affected by it because I'm much higher than Diggory due to the ladder.

I get down quickly and investigate the vial. Whatever had been in it is now lying on the floor in a pool of some strange liquid. What the hell did I drop?

"Can I eat that?" Diggory suddenly points at the weird substance on the floor with an eager look on his face.

"What? No! Of course not."

"I want to eat it!" He suddenly wails.

I clasp my hands over my ears to block out all the noise he's making but there's no use. His piercing screams can still reach me.

"I wanna eat the gooey stuff!"

"Shut up!" I yell back at him.

If he keeps making this much noise he'll attract a professor. That's the last thing I need right now.

I had yelled at him as a reflex. People don't really take that too hard. But Cedric Diggory is looking at me with a pout on his lips and big eyes that fill themselves quickly with tears.

"You're a big meanie!" He sobs.

"No, no! Don't cry!" I beg him because surely that will make as much noise as his wailing.

I feel as though I am talking to a kid. That's definitely the way he's acting... Wait, a minute. I carefully take the remains of the vial in my hands to look at the label. Oh God! I had dropped pure Agrippa! No wonder Diggory is acting like this. It causes the person affected by it to act extremely childish. But that's just the first symptoms. Soon he'll be unable to understand what I am saying and it could eventually lead to blindness. Oh fuck, what did I do!?

"I'm gonna tell my mummy what you said!" He points an accusing finger at me before turning around and running out of Snape's storage room.

"No, Cedric! Wait!"

But it's no use. The big teenager whose mind now belongs to a three-year old, runs way faster than me and is already out of Snape's office by the time I barely make it out of the storage room.

And when I am standing in the dungeon hallways again, he's already far out of my sight. This is tragic! If I don't find childish Diggory soon, he could end up losing his sight. Nobody else around here can help him since students are supposed to be in bed right now so I guess it's up to me to save the damn Hufflepuff.

I am once again grateful for the fact that I have the Marauders' Map on me. Without it, it would have been nearly impossible for me to find him in this humongous castle. I don't have the invisibility cloak however, meaning I'll have to be extra careful not to get caught.

I scan the Map for a good five minutes when I finally find the dot that says 'Cedric Diggory'. What is he doing in Filch's office?! Great, as if his childish behaviour and the possibility that he may go blind and no longer understand what I'm saying isn't bad enough yet. Now we can also get caught by Filch. Honestly, it not really the caretaker of Hogwarts I'm afraid of. But if he catches us and notices Diggory's strange behaviour, he'll get the potions professor involved a.k.a. the man I stole all those ingredients of. I'm not stupid and I know damn well Snape's not stupid either. He'll notice pretty soon that a few things are missing, especially when a broken vial is lying on the floor. It won't be that hard for him to put two and two together and realise me and Diggory are the ones who broke into his supply room. Actually, it was just me but that won't be his conclusion.

I run as fast as I can to Filch's office while still frantically scanning the map. Luckily Diggory seems to stay put so at least I won't have to chase him through the entire castle this way.

When I get to the office, I'm glad that Diggory still seems able to see me. I myself am a little less happy to see the mess he's created. In his mind he's a little kid right now and what do little kids do? They make airplanes out of paper and drawings on the wall. And that's exactly what Diggory did to Filch's office.

"What did you do?" I breathe out in astonishment.

"Look!" He points towards one of his drawings. "That's you."

Why does that portrait of me look more like an overgrown gorilla than a teenage girl?

"Isn't it pretty?" He smiles up at me.

"It's wonderful." I lie.

He seems to have already forgotten the reason he ran off because he doesn't seem to harbour any hostile feelings towards me anymore. Maybe that will make it easier to get him to come with me.

"And that's you and me." He points towards another drawing.

"Why are you eating me?" I frown while looking at the slightly disturbing drawing. Maybe he did still have some hostility towards me.

"I'm not eating you! We're hugging." He stomps his foot on the floor, angry that I don't seem to understand his artistic point of view.

"Oh, yeah. I see it now." I simply say even though I still think it looks like he's eating me.

I am going to have to clean up this mess. Even though Filch will never recognise me from Diggory's sketches, he'll probably still notice someone was in here.

"Deatuse!" I pull out my wand and just like that, everything is back to the way it was.

"My...My drawings." He sobs.

Oh, I forgot he's so sensible now.

"Why you take away my art?!" He cries.

And he's once again making way too much noise.

"Okay, you need to be quiet, Cedric." I say calmly to him.

"You stole the pictures!" He screams even louder than before.

From the corner of my eye, I can see the Marauders' Map and a dot running in our directions. And the dot's name is Argus Filch.

"Oh, crap!"

"You said a dirty word!" He gasps. "I'm gonna tell my mummy!"

Not this again! I can't let him escape this time or let him keep making this much noise. Filch is already in the hallway.

"Fuck!" I swear out loud which earns me another shocked gasp from Diggory. "Yeah, yeah, I know. I said a dirty word."

Filch is about to enter his office and I am pretty much stuck right now. Maybe Diggory's childish mind can actually be of use this time.

"Hey, wanna play hide and seek?" I ask him.

Instantly the tears disappear and he nods eagerly at the prospect of playing a game. He quickly opens a closet door I hadn't even seen before and goes in. I soon follow him and close the door behind us. Let's just hope Filch won't find us here.

"No, you have to hide somewhere else. It's not fair like this!" He crosses his arms angrily.

"Be quiet." I try to shush him.

"No, you're not playing the game right!"

Why won't he stop making so much noise!

"We're playing another game now. Who can be quiet the longest." I try a different approach.

"That's a stupid game." He crosses his arms stubbornly.

"The winner gets candy." I say quickly when I hear Filch enter his office.

Yeah, now he's on board. But at least this way he'll stay quiet.

I can hear Filch rummaging around at his desk, muttering about the good old days when he could still torture students for being out of bed. Was that ever the case? Boy, am I glad I wasn't attending this school at that time.

Finally, after half an hour, he leaves again and I can breathe once more.

"You can talk now." I tell Diggory once Filch is gone. "You won the game."

But he doesn't start talking again. Instead he just looks at me as if I'm talking gibberish.

"The game is over. You can talk away again."

"Why you talk funny?!" He practically shouts in my ear.

Funny? I wasn't aware I was speaking strangely. This can only mean one thing. He's now at the second stage of the poisoning of the pure Agrippa. He can no longer understand what I'm saying and soon he'll lose his sight.

I can't waste any more time. I need to take him to the hospital wing now! There will be time later to come up with some kind of explanation.

"Okay, let's go." I grab his arm and try to pull him to the hospital wing.

His mind may be that of a three-year old boy but he still has the body of a seventeen-year old guy. Thus meaning there is no way I can drag him around when he's resisting. And he is definitely resisting. He just keeps standing in the same spot and doesn't seem to have the intention to follow me anywhere.

"Come on! Move!"

But there's no use. He can't even understand me.

This is just great! How the hell am I going to get him to Madame Pomfrey when he's being this uncooperative? Wait... there's always the awesomeness that is magic. I'll just get him there by using a spell. Besides, what kind of three-year old can already do a proper counter spell? Let's hope none.

"Levicorpus." I point my wand at Diggory.

Immediately his feet go up in the air and he's floating in space, hanging by his feet.

"Woohoo, this is awesome!" He squeals.

He's practically shouting his excitement at the top of his lungs because this is like an park attraction for him. I keep a close eye on the map to make sure no one is around to hear him. It's not like I can tell him to shut the hell up. The idiot has no idea what I'm saying.

We somehow make it to the Hospital Wing without running into any hindrances and Diggory stopped squealing a few minutes ago when he thought hanging upside down in the air started getting old.

"Madame Pomfrey!" I enter the hospital wing.

Of course in the middle of the night, she's not there. I know her private quarters are right next to the hospital wing. Well, now is not the time to be mannered. I open the door leading to her private quarters, making a lot of noise while doing so in the hope that she'll hear me and I won't walk in on any embarrassing scenes.

"Madame Pomfrey!" I shout while passing her little living room. "Madame Pomfrey!"

"What is going on in here?!"

The woman I've been looking for comes out of a door in her night gown.

"Miss Potter?! What are you doing here?"

"I know it's very late but I desperately need your help." I plea with the angry woman.

She follows me back to the hospital wing where Diggory is sitting on one of the beds with a dumb expression on his face that actually scares the hell out of me.

"What happened to Mr. Diggory?" She asks me when she examines him.

"I..."

What am I supposed to say to her? I can't really tell her that I broke into Snape's office and Cedric caught me there. I would never see daylight again when Snape finds out I'm the culprit who stole his ingredients.

"I don't know. I found him like this." I lie.

She gives me a look that clearly says she doesn't believe me but doesn't really call me out on it. She does make me feel guilty for lying to her though.

"Miss Potter, if I don't know what caused this strange behaviour in Mr. Diggory, I might not be able to cure him in time."

I don't want to be the reason she can't help him.

"It might have been a pure Agrippa poisoning." I say as though I really am just guessing.

"Poisoning?" She exclaims and quickly starts rummaging through all kinds of vials.

"Might be." I shrug, staying in my innocent role even though I'm pretty sure she's not buying it.

"Where would Mr. Diggory find pure Agrippa anyway?" She looks at me suspiciously.

"Well, now that you know, I mean, have an idea what may have caused this, I should go back to the tower." I back away quickly because I can't really afford to have her ask me too many questions. "Good night."

I rush out of the hospital wing quickly. I know he's in good care with Madame Pomfrey so it's okay to leave him there with her. It is, however, not okay that he should get the blame for me breaking into Snape's supply closet. I guess I'll have some time until tomorrow morning to come up with a mind-blowing excuse.

I reluctantly drag myself to the Great Hall the next morning. I've had close to zero hours of sleep last night. I couldn't stop thinking about what I would say to Snape when he confronts Diggory about the broken vial that used to contain pure Agrippa. And whenever I thought about that, I would think about the mess I've dragged Diggory into. All he was doing was his job as a Head Boy and somehow I was able to turn that into a big fiasco. I just hope he's okay.

"You look like crap!" Is the first thing Weasley says to me when I sit down at the Gryffindor table.

"I still look ten times better than you ever will." I snap back.

"Ron is right though." Harry says.

"What?! You think I look horrid as well?" I gasp at my brother.

"Not horrid." He quickly redeems himself. "Just really, really tired."

"Now that you mention it. You weren't in the dorm when I went to bed which was far past midnight." Granger wonders out loud.

"And what were you doing up so late, busy bee?" I ask her.

"I was working on my Transfiguration essay."

Should have known it wouldn't be anything exciting.

"The real question is, what were you up to last night?" She redirects the conversation to me.

"I don't see how that's any of your business." I evade her question.

"You've been doing a lot of things lately that you aren't willing to tell us about." Harry says.

"It's nothing, Harry." I try to assure him but just like everyone else, he doesn't seem to believe my words.

If he starts digging to find what I've been up to, I'm sure he'll find it. But I deliberately didn't want to get him involved in all of this.

"Fine, if you must know, I was with Diggory." I sigh.

Harry's eyes grow in size as do Granger's and Weasley's.

"But I thought you said there wasn't anything going on between the two of us?" He frowns.

"Just because I was with him last night, doesn't mean something is going on between the two of us." I get defensive.

"Oh...But then why were you with him?"

I can't really blame Harry for getting confused by all the things I'm saying. I'm often contradicting myself.

"He's stalking me."

What?! Why did that just come out?! Well, in a way Diggory is kind of stalking me, always showing up wherever I go but I just made him sound like a creep.

"He is?" Harry frowns because Diggory isn't really the kind of person that jumps to mind when you say 'stalker'.

"Why would Golden Boy Cedric Diggory stalk _you_?" Weasley says.

"I don't really like what you're implying there." I narrow my eyes at him.

As if I'm not good enough to be stalked by someone like Diggory!

"Wait, I heard he's in the hospital wing. Did you have something to do with that?" Granger asks me.

"Euhm... Sort of."

Actually, I'm the only reason he ended up in there.

"Did he... try something?" Harry asks me awkwardly.

Oh, that's so cute. He's playing the big defensive brother.

"No, of course not. Just following me around again." I shrug it off.

Speaking of him being in the hospital wing, maybe I should go see how he's doing and find out if Snape has already popped in to question him on the poisoning.

"Well, I should be going." I quickly say.

"Where are you going? Class starts in ten minutes!"

"Yeah..." I'm not going to make it to class. "I'll see you there."

Before any of them can stop me, I'm already up and leaving the Great Hall.

When I make it to the hospital wing, I'm actually relieved to see Madame Pomfrey isn't there at the moment. She would probably scold me for not being in class anyway. She might also ask me tricky questions again.

It's not that hard to find Diggory's bed in the hospital wing since it's the only one containing a patient. If I had any hope that he might have forgotten what happened last night, that hope got crushed when my eyes met his and he tried to glare me to death.

"Hi." I smile lamely.

"What are you doing here?" He sighs annoyed.

Ouch, he's usually a lot nicer to me than that. Well, except for last night but that doesn't count because he thought he was an annoying three-year old.

"So I'm guessing you're not having any trouble remembering what happened last night."I try to play coy but am failing miserably at it.

"I remember everything up until the point I started acting like a little kid. But I have a pretty good idea who's responsible for that."

"Look, it was an accident. I honestly didn't mean to cause you any harm. You were suddenly there and scared the hell out of me so I just dropped whatever I was holding. I didn't know what it was and I really didn't know the effect it would have on you."

Why do I sound so desperate to make him believe what I'm saying? What he thinks of me is not that important. Except of course that all he has to do is tell Snape I broke into his office and I'll be punished for life. But even so, I shouldn't care that he thinks I'm just trouble with a capital S. As in 'Stay away from that girl'.

"I get that it was an accident." He says calmly.

Huh? I look up from the floor as I have been trying very hard not to look Diggory in the eye. He doesn't really seem angry, more... annoyed? Disappointed?

"But no matter what happened with the vial you dropped, you were still in Snape's storage room. You cannot pretend like you didn't know that was against the rules."

That approach would never work on him. Only on guys like Cyril.

"What were you doing there anyway?"

"Oh,... I... can't tell you."

I kind of wish I could. He deserves that honesty of me. But I'll be in even more trouble if I tell him I'm trying to make a potion to turn the prefects into my little puppets.

"I see." He nods dejectedly. "Thanks for coming by. You should head to class now."

Is he sending me away?

"I... I want to tell you. But I can't. If I do, you'll just think I'm a really troublesome girl."

"You are troublesome. I know that. It's one of the things I really like about you." He smiles faintly.

He likes that about me? Even I don't like that about me and I'm my own number one fan. Wow, that sounded pretty self-centred.

"Is it for Harry?" He suddenly says.

"...Huh?" I frown.

"Whatever you were doing there in Snape's office must have been for Harry. He's usually the reason you get yourself in so much trouble."

I nod. Ain't that the truth.

"Why do you always go through so much trouble for him?" He asks me, sincerely curious in the answer.

Why, he asks? Why wouldn't I? It's Harry!

"Because he sacrifices so much for people; his friends, his family, his peers, the world. He sacrifices everything. He just needs someone to do the same for him."

I guess that explains it as good as I can put it into words. Although it's still so much more than that.

"You know... You actually make me feel sad that I never had any siblings. I would have loved to have a sister like you."

"You think of me as a sister?!"

I feel kind of... mad about that.

"No," He laughs. "I most definitely don't have brotherly feelings towards you. It's a whole other kind of feelings."

Why do I feel like blushing and hitting him in the head at the same time? His comment is making me feel rather awkward while he's still smiling at me as if he did not just make some kind of confession.

"Well, I'll be heading to class now." I cough awkwardly.

"Oh, by the way, Snape came in here really early this morning asking me how I could have possibly gotten poisoning from something as rare as pure Agrippa."

Oh, fuck! So Snape did put things together much quicker than I anticipated him to.

"What did you say?"

"I told him I caught a student in his storage room who dropped the vial on the floor and caused the poisoning."

Well, I couldn't really have expected Diggory to lie for me. I am after all the reason he almost went blind.

"When he asked me who the student was, I told him I couldn't remember."

Wait... what? He did lie for me?!

"Why did you lie?"

"What makes you think I was lying? I may very well not remember who it was."

"Stop acting dumb! Why didn't you just tell him it was me? Now he'll probably assume you're lying and you'll get in trouble for something I did."

And that was exactly what I didn't want to happen.

"Even if he does think I had something to do with it, he can't prove anything."

"You didn't have to do that." I sigh, because I'm not sure I would have done the same for him if the situation was reversed.

"It's not a big deal, Danny. Just say thank you and we'll never mention it again."

"Thank you, Cedric." I say sincerely.

"Cedric?" He cocks an eyebrow and grins at me. "Are we back to first name basis?"

"No! I'm just calling you by your first name because you're hurt an pathetic right now." I snap. "When you're back on your feet again, you'll be back to Diggory."

He says he understands it but he's still smiling at me as if the whole thing means more than it does. He aggravates me so much!

I'm glad to see him back in the Great Hall the next morning. I'm relieved that he's okay again. Now I won't have to worry anymore which is great because worrying about him made feel pretty out of character.

I guess Cedric Diggory had been telling me the truth when he said Snape had no idea I was the one who had broken into his supply closet because in class he treated me just the way he did with other students. Well, other Gryffindor students of course. Life would be great if he gave us the same special treatment he gives the students of the Slytherin house.

Sitting at the Gryffindor table for breakfast, I'm not really paying attention to my surroundings. Instead I'm thinking about the letter I'll have to write uncle Remus to ask him for Ashwinder eggs. I'll just tell him it's for an extra credit project. He'll send them to me, of that I'm sure. Then I'll just have to go steal professor Sprout's rose thorns and I'll have all the ingredients I need. I'll finally be able to start on the potion.

I wasn't expecting any mail, so I'm rather taken by surprise when an owl drops down in front of me.

"Is that a...?"

A bright red envelope is presented to me by the unfamiliar owl.

"It's a Howler." Granger answers the guy's unfinished question.

Howlers are letters send by very pissed off mothers. But that's just the thing. As far as I know, I haven't really done anything so far to deserve a Howler from a very angry Lily Potter.

"What did you do?" Harry asks me.

"I haven't done anything." I tell him while keeping my gaze fixated on the red envelope.

"If you don't open it soon, it will just explode." Weasley says.

I'm sure he has experienced Howlers before. He does have a point though. I'm just about to reach out to open it when it explodes in a red cloud and a booming voice fills the Great Hall.

"_Angry? Angry?! Of course I'm freaking angry, Danny Potter." _A familiar voice comes from the Howler, it's just not the voice I had been expecting.

"_How could you lie to me like that?! To all of us! I really thought you were close to dying at home with the damn dragon pox!"_

By now all eyes in the Great Hall are staring at me and at the Howler that keeps cussing in French. Noa send me a Howler?

"_So I really hope you're having an awful time there. Good luck going through that for the next three years!"_

I'm actually pretty grateful her English isn't good enough to shout in it angrily at me. At least not many of the people here understand what her yelling is about.

"_But most of all I'm just really angry that you lied to me! You lied! To me! I thought we'd always be honest to each other!? I can't tell you how much this stung!" _Her voice is losing some volume but gaining emotion.

"_You shouldn't contact me for a really long time."_

And then the Howler self destructs.

I don't think the Great Hall has ever been this silent before. Haven't they ever seen a howler?

"What the hell was that?!" Weasley says when people are finally paying attention again to their own business.

"Who would send you a Howler in French anyway?" Harry asks me.

"Doesn't matter." I simply shrug.

But it does matter. Noa doesn't want me to talk to her anymore. I hurt my best friend and the stupid part is that I could have prevented that if I'd just been honest with her in the beginning.

The fact that Noa was so angry and hurt that she actually send me a Howler made me feel like such a horrid friend. But then again, aren't I?

_Did you like the Cedric / Danny scenes?_


	9. The Beginning of an Idea

_Wow, I don't think I've updated this story so fast in a long time. I've just been feeling very inspired lately and I practically wrote this chapter in a day. Of course, I was supposed to spend this time to study but those are usually the moments I have the most of inspiration to write, the moments where I'm supposed to anything but that :)_

_Thank you for your great reviews: __**xXMizz Alec VolturiXx, Just Another Aceves, a person **__and __**swimmergirl22! **__You made me very happy!_

_Once again, some things may seem familiar to you. The article comes directly from the book, as does parts of the conversation between Harry, Hermione, Ron and Danny. So of course I can't take credit for that. It's all for J. K. Rowling, best writer ever!_

Chapter 9

Three weeks have passed since the incident with Diggory. Since then I've been working rather intensively at my potion. Which of course rose the justified suspicion in my brother and his friends but as far as I know they still have no clue about what I've been spending all my time on.

The potion is almost ready. Well, actually it's completely ready, I just need to find a guinea pig to test it on. And I figured who better for the job than Neville Longbottom? Sure, he'll be momentarily very taken with me but I guess it's something I'll just have to take in. It's the burden that comes with being such a master at potions.

I just need to find a way to subtly slip it into his drink. Unfortunately my potion has a really strong scent so I'm a little worried that he'll notice in time that there's something wrong with his pumpkin juice.

I figured the best way to do it would be by putting it in his cough syrup. I know he easily has a nasty cough which will he'll certainly have now that the weather is getting colder and according to Harry Neville never goes to bed without taking it. Perfect. And that smell is already so intense, he'll never notice the difference.

I figured two weeks from now would provide me with the best moment to sneak into the dorm of the 5th year boys and spike Neville's syrup. There won't be a lot of people left in the tower anyway since that's the day of the first trip to Hogsmeade. So I'll still have to wait for two more weeks. I can do that.

"Have you read the news paper?" Is the first thing Harry asks me when I sit down at the Gryffindor table for breakfast.

"When would I have read it? In my shower? And where did you get The Daily Prophet anyway? You didn't subscribe to it." I rip the newspaper out of his hands. "Stay out of my mail!"

He doesn't even try to deny the fact that for the past few days he's been sifting through my mail. I assume he's looking for clues on what I've been doing every time he can't seem to find me. Just for safety measures I always take the map with me. That way Harry has no possibility to find out my whereabouts. It's been driving him insane.

"Just read this." He points to a certain article in the paper.

'_Ministry seeks educational reform : Dolores Umbridge appointed first ever High Inquisitor'_

"What is a High Inquisitor?" I ask him while shoving down a piece of toast.

"Keep reading." He almost pushes my nose to the paper so I guess it's important. 

_In a surprise move last night the Ministry of Magic passed new legislation giving itself an unprecedented level of control at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry._

'_The minister has been growing uneasy about goings-on at Hogwarts for some time.' Said Junior Assistant to the Minister, Percy Weasley. "He is now responding to concerns voiced by anxious parents, who feel the school may be moving in a direction they do not approve of.'_

That's a load of crap. Who are those anxious parents with concerns? Hogwarts hasn't made any changes compared to the previous years. What the ministry's really concerned about is that Dumbledore has too much liberty here to do as he pleases. Do they really think the Headmaster is planning something to oppose the ministry? Like I said before: a load of crap!

And that damn Percy Weasley! Last week he send an owl to his younger brother to tell him he shouldn't hang around Harry anymore, because Harry is dangerous and a liar! Ronald tore the letter to shreds and burned it in the fireplace. I don't think he and I have ever been that well on the same page before.

_This is not the first time in recent weeks that the Minister, Cornelius Fudge, has used new laws to effect improvements at the wizarding school. As recently as 30__th__ August, Educational Decree Number Twenty-two was passed, to ensure that, in the event of the current Headmaster being unable to provide a candidate for a teaching post, the Ministry should select an appropriate person._

Ah, so that's how Umbridge became the new professor of Defence Against The Dark Arts. I knew there was no way Dumbledore would be crazy enough to actually choose her for that position himself.

'_That's how Dolores Umbridge came to be appointed to the teaching staff at Hogwarts,' said Weasley last night. 'Dumbledore couldn't find anyone so the Minister put in Umbridge, and of course, she's been an immediate success-'_

"Immediate success?!"

If you call making students' lives miserable hell with all her stupid little rules and her reluctance to teach us anything useful a success. Then yes, she's been a smashing hit!

"My reaction exactly." Harry gives me a small smile. "Keep reading. It's only getting worse."

"I don't really want to." I sigh, fearing whatever bullshit will come next but the information on this new position of the crazy cat lady might be vital. So I just skip the other nonsense and go straight to the part Harry is pointing at.

_The inquisitor will have powers to inspect her fellow educators and make sure that they are coming up to scratch. _

'_I feel much easier in my mind now that I know Dumbledore is being subject to fair and objective evaluation,' said Mr Lucius Malfoy, 41, speaking from his Wiltshire mansion last night. 'Many of us with our children's best interests at heart have been concerned about some of Dumbledore's eccentric decisions in the last few years and are glad to know that the Ministry is keeping an eye on the situation._

I guess that answers the previous question. I should have know Malfoy would have pulled the strings on his puppet Cornelius Fudge. Even though Harry has made it very clear that Malfoy's a Death Eater, that man can get away with anything.

_Among these eccentric decisions are undoubtedly the controversial staff appointments previously described in the newspaper, which have included the employment of werewolf Remus Lupin, half-giant Rubeus Hagrid and delusional ex-auror 'Mad-Eye' Moody._

Seriously? They're attacking uncle Remus now?! Appointing him as DADA professor is the best thing Dumbledore has ever done. 

"So basically Umbridge is going to get more control around here?" I ask Harry.

He nods.

"Do you think she'll be present in our classes, to '_make sure our professors are coming up to scratch_'?"

"I don't know."

I hadn't seen her in any of my classes but apparently she had made an appearance in the twins' Charm class and Harry's Deviation class. According to them, she is quite harsh on her fellow staff members. I for one can't wait to see her check up on Snape.

"Congratulations on the new title, professor." I smile friendly at the end of the DADA class.

The toad like woman looks up from grading papers and gives me that creepy typical smile of her.

"Thank you, Miss Potter."

I really hate that despicable sweet voice.

"I'm relieved to see Hogwarts is in good hands."

I wish I wasn't this good at lying.

"I must admit I've been very unsure of some of the developments here. Beauxbatons wouldn't have allowed any of these things. I'm glad this school now has someone to keep everything and everyone in check." I smile.

If she mentions uncle Remus as a bad development, I don't think I can refrain from jumping over the desk and choking the life out of her.

I leave the classroom before she'll say anything like that. Choking Umbridge might sound appealing but wouldn't be a favourable turn of events.

"What did you say to her?" Harry, who has been waiting in the hallway for me, asks me once I close the door behind me.

"I congratulated her on her new position." I shrug as though saying those words to her hadn't made me feel like hurling.

"Why?" He frowns while we walk together to the next class.

"Because in Umbridge's eyes I'm a little suck-up who worships the ground she walks on, who admires everyone who calls my brother a liar." I turn towards him to see a hesitant expression on his face. "Which is a lie of course."

"I know that." He scoffs.

"Then what's with the strange expression on your face?"

"It's nothing." And then he tries to change the conversation to our Potions assignment.

I pretend like changing the subject doesn't bother me but of course it does. What is Harry hiding from me this time?

I know he's having more nightmares than before. It makes sense. But he doesn't tell me about them and at night I'm not around to comfort him. I just wish he understood just how much I am willing to do for him. There is nothing that he could ever say or do that will change my loyalty and devotion towards him. So why won't he tell me what's eating away at him?

I return to the common room late at night, right before curfew. I had been putting the finishing touch on my potion.

I'm surprised to see Harry sitting in one of the couches with Granger and Weasley. He had another detention with Umbridge today so I'm not too surprised when I see he's once again soaking his hand in Murtlesap. Maybe I'm not surprised, but I'm most definitely annoyed by it.

"She's an awful person." Granger says quietly.

"Amen to that." I sit down next to Harry.

"You know, I was just saying to Ron we've got to do something about her."

"I suggested poison." Weasley says.

Maybe there is still hope for him and me to ever get along.

"That's a great idea. How about Baneberry Potion? It's a pretty strong poison but not easy to detect. They'll never know it was us." I say.

"It honestly scares me how serious you can say that." Weasley shivers.

"I mean," Granger simply continues. "something about what an dreadful teacher she is and how we're not going to learn any Defence from her at all."

"Well, what can we do about that?" Weasley says. "It's too late, isn't it? She's got the job, she's here to stay. Fudge'll make sure of that."

"I was thinking that maybe the time's come when we should just do it ourselves." She says in a nervous tone.

"Do what ourselves?" Harry asks.

"Well, learn Defence Against the Dark Arts ourselves."

"Come off it." A load groan comes from Weasley. "You want us to do extra work? We're already behind on homework!"

"But this is much more important than homework!"

I stare at her with big eyes. Is that the same girl who keeps preaching to us that there is nothing more important than homework in this existence?

"I didn't think there was anything in the universe more important than homework!" Weasley exclaims.

"Don't be silly! Of course there is. It's about preparing ourselves, like Harry said, for what's waiting for us out there. It's about making sure we really can defend ourselves."

"We can't do much by ourselves. I mean, alright, we can go and look jinxes up in the library and try and practice them, I suppose." Weasley says.

"No, I agree, we've gone past the stage where we can learn things out of books. We need a teacher, a proper one, who can show us how to use the spells and correct us if we're going wrong."

"If you're talking about Remus..." Harry begins.

"No, no, I'm not talking about him. He's too busy with the Order and, anyway, the most we could see of him is during Hogsmeade weekends and that is not nearly often enough."

"Who then?" Harry frowns.

"Isn't it obvious?"

Maybe not to Harry but I know who she is talking about. I had been listening to the conversation without butting in, trying to see what makes the most sense to Granger. It's only normal for her to consider him since he's way more powerful than any guy of his age should be.

"She's talking about you, Harry." I sigh.

Harry stares at me, and then back at Granger with confusion in his eyes. He never would have considered himself experienced enough to teach others.

"That's an idea." Weasley wonders out loud.

"What's an idea?" Harry frowns.

"You... teaching us to do it."

"But..." I think he's starting to realise that they're both serious about this. "I'm not a teacher, I can't-"

"Harry, you're the best in the year at Defence Against the Dark Arts." Granger tries to make him see this as a real possibility.

"Me? No, I'm not, you've beaten me in every test."

"Actually, I haven't," She says with real embarrassment in her voice. As if it actually pains her to admit she isn't the best at something. "You beat me in our third year, the only year we both sat the test and had a teacher who actually knew the subject. But I'm not talking about test results, Harry. Think about what you've done!"

"How do you mean?"

Is Harry really that oblivious that he doesn't understand how impressive his past accomplishments are to others?

"You know what, I'm not sure I want someone this stupid teaching me," Weasley grins. "Let's think, uh... first year, you saved the Philosopher's Stone from You-Know-Who."

"But that was luck, it wasn't skill..."

I know I've said before that he's just a really lucky guy and that's the only reason he's still alive. He didn't really believe that, did he? Because yes, luck had a lot to do with it but that doesn't mean his skills didn't get him out alive as well.

"Second year," He continues. "You killed the Basilisk and destroyed Riddle."

"Yeah, but if Fawkes hadn't turned up, I –"

"Third year," Weasley just keeps going, despite Harry's protests. "You fought off about a hundred dementors at once-"

"You know that was a fluke, if Danny hadn't-"

For the last time, Harry, I wasn't there that night!

"Last year, you fought off You-Know-Who _again _–"

"Listen to me!" Harry shouts now at his smiling friends whose minds I don't think he can change. "Just listen to me, alright? It sounds great when you say it like that, but all that stuff was luck. I didn't know what I was doing half the time, I didn't plan any of it. I just did whatever I could think of, and I nearly always had help. Don't sit there grinning like you know better than I do." He points an accusing finger at his two grinning friends.

I'm not getting involved in this because I don't want him to start yelling at me but if I were them, I'd at least try to hide my satisfaction or another Harry bomb is going to burst.

"I was there, wasn't I? I know what went on, alright. And I didn't get through any of that because I was brilliant at Defence Against the Dark Arts, I got through it all because help came at the right time, or because I guessed right. But I just blundered through it all, I didn't have a clue what I was doing, - STOP LAUGHING!" He shouts at them.

At least now that they seem to realise just how angry they've made him, their smiles have disappeared and been replaced by an expression of concern similar to my own.

"You don't know what it's like! You – neither of you – you've never had to face him, have you? You think it's just memorising a bunch of spells and throwing them at him, like you're in class or something? The whole time you're sure you know there's nothing between you and dying except you own – your own brain or guts or whatever- like you can think straight when you know you're about a nanosecond from being murdered, or tortured, or watching your friends die. They've never taught us that in their classes, what it's like to deal with things like that – and you two, sit there acting like I'm a clever little boy to be standing here, alive, like all the others were stupid, like they messed up. You just don't get it, that could have been me, that could just as easily have been me, it would have been-"

"Harry." I calmly interrupt his rant even though there's a whirlwind of emotions living in my gut right now.

He's right, I don't know. I don't know what it's like to stand face to face with a dark wizard like Voldemort, what it's like to know you can die any moment. But I know what it's like to know Harry can die any moment and there's no way there's anything worse than that.

His friends might not get it but I do. I have seen death in the eye, maybe not through my own but everything Harry has felt in combat so far have been my emotions as well. Because his heart beats in my chest as well, much louder than my own.

"It was just an idea." I smile softly, downplaying the proposition.

I'm sure Granger wouldn't have suggested such a thing without thinking about it long and hard. I know it to be true because she's looking at me as though she's not going to let go of this so easily.

"Don't you see?" She says softly. "This... this is exactly why we need you... we need to know what it's r-really like... facing him... facing V-Voldemort."

It's the first time I've heard her say his name out loud. She and Weasley usually avoid it as if saying it would make him appear and gobble them up. Harry must have realised that as well because it seems to calm him down.

"Well, time to go to bed." I start pushing Harry towards the stairs.

"Think about it, please?" Granger quickly says.

Harry nods before going up the stairs to his dorm.

"Will you talk to him?" Granger's voice reaches me after minutes of silence.

I turn around to cock an eyebrow at her.

"He listens to you." She explains. "Don't know why but you're the only person who can convince him to do something he originally doesn't want to do."

That's not true. I never make him do anything he doesn't want to do, unlike those two.

"I get where you're coming from, I really do. It makes perfect sense. Who better to teach you about Defence Against the Dark Arts than someone who has faced pure evil the way Harry has?"

I must say I myself have been tempted in the past to ask Harry on some help with my Defence. The only thing stopping me is my ego.

"But did you not just see how your little suggestion upset him? I would never ask Harry to do something that would pain him."

Talking about Voldemort would pain him and hearing him talk about almost dying would pain me.

"Don't bring it up again. "I glare at the both of them.

I'm not as delusional or so full of myself to think Granger would actually listen to my warning to not bring it up again. To my surprise however nothing has been said about it for over a week now. Harry has been thinking about it though. When we're in DADA, I can practically see the wheels turning in his head, thinking of ways to teach the subject.

Even though I told Granger I would talk about it with Harry like she asked me to, I found myself unable to keep pretending I didn't have an opinion on the matter.

"Fancy a midnight flight?" I ask Harry right before curfew sets in.

His eyes immediately get that excited glimmer that make me feel as if we're six years old again, only just coming to discover the magic inside of us.

"But curfew just started."

"Since when did you become such a goody-two-shoes?" I smile. "Go get your broom. It's not like we've got anything to fear of Robert Hilliard."

"Who?" Harry asks.

"Nobody." I quickly say.

I almost told him something I shouldn't have. Robert Hilliard is the guy that's on patrol today but I'm not supposed to know that.

"Well? You can't fly without your Firebolt!"

Harry quickly disappears to his dorm and that gives me the time to retrieve my own broom and the map.

Once Harry reappears, with broom and cloak in hand, we make our way to the empty Quidditch pitch.

We're both covered by the invisibility cloak and keep an eye on the map to make sure we don't run into anyone.

"Hey!" Harry suddenly exclaims.

"What is it?"

Harry doesn't say anything, just points at a little dot on the map that says _'Robert Hilliard, prefect'_.

"How did you know that?" He asks me.

Oh, because I stole the schedule from the Head Girl.

"I didn't." I lie.

"Do you know him?" Harry continues to grill me.

"Might have heard of him before." I shrug.

"Is he... the reason you've been disappearing so much these past few weeks?"

He is, but not for the reason I think Harry is assuming.

"Do I really strike you as someone who would put that much time and effort in a boy?"

"No, you're someone who spends that much time and effort in breaking the rules."

True.

"Just let it go, Harry." I sigh and to my surprise he does.

Since I didn't make the Quidditch team – because I wasn't even allowed to try out – I haven't been flying that much lately. Harry has and he kicks off the ground way faster than me.

It is only when we've been flying for a while and stay floating in the air next to each other that I bring up the subject of a week ago.

"You don't have to do it if you don't want to. They'll understand."

He clearly knows what I'm talking about because he doesn't ask me what I mean.

"I know they would, but..."

"But what?"

He doesn't answer me. Instead he just stares off into space. I'd give a whole fortune to know what he's thinking of right now.

"What do you think?" He suddenly asks me.

"Me?"

"Yeah, I'm sure you must have a very elaborate opinion on this."

"I do." I smile. "But I won't be of much help to you."

"Why not?"

"Because I myself don't really know what choice I want you to make. At one side I'm also inclined to ask you to teach me how to conjure a Patronus and stuff like that, but on the other hand..."

"Yes?"

"If Umbridge finds out about this, there's no telling what she'll do."

"Umbridge? You're scared of her?!"

"You should be too. I know it's easy to forget with all the sweet smiles and annoying coughs but that woman is dangerous, Harry. Don't forget that."

"Is that the only reason?"

"No... I just don't want you to have another thing to worry about. You already have more than enough things going on. You don't need this on top of it."

"But if I want to do it?" He asks me carefully.

"Then I'll help you out any way I can. On the condition that you're doing this because you really want to, not because you feel like you owe someone."

Harry doesn't tell me about his decision that night. Eventually I hear a few days later that he's told Granger he might want to do it. I just hope we won't all end up regretting it.

"So Harry has agreed to teach every person that is interested." Granger happily announces to me at the breakfast table.

"I haven't. You said we'd meet up in Hogsmeade and we'd talk about it." Harry interjects.

Doesn't Harry know his friend well enough to know she'll get her way now that Harry has made it clear he's considering it?

"I already have a few people more than interested but maybe you should try asking some as well, Danny."

"Why me?!" I ask her.

"You know people we aren't really close to. It's pretty important to also include the other houses in this."

"Who do I know then?" I wonder out loud.

"You know Wayne Hopkins, right?"

Wayne Hopkins is a Hufflepuff in our year. He's pretty cool, certainly has helped me out a lot when I didn't know where certain things are. I also know that he believes Harry is telling the truth. Maybe it won't hurt to include him.

"I guess I could ask him." I shrug.

"And Cedric Diggory." Weasley says.

"What?"

"Ron's right. We want to make it clear that Harry knows what he's doing - "

"I don't know what I'm doing!"

"- And what better way to do that than having a seventh year put his faith in Harry, the Head Boy nonetheless."

"Why do I have to ask him?! Do it yourself!" I huff.

I don't want Diggory to join this... thing we're doing. Plus, he's made it very clear in the past that he doesn't believe Harry.

"We don't know Diggory as well as you do. You're friends, right?" Granger asks.

No, we are not!

"I don't want him there." Harry suddenly says.

Huh?!

"Why not?" Granger asks him.

It makes sense for me not wanting Diggory there. He gave that awful interview, he enjoys putting me in difficult positions and he's the face that pops into mind when you say 'authority'. I just don't see why Harry wouldn't want him to join either.

"Have you forgotten what Danny told us?"

Euhm... I might have forgotten. What is he talking about?

"He's stalking Danny!"

Oh, right. I did tell him that.

"Maybe Danny is just overreacting a little?" Weasley suggested.

I gasp Lying, yes but overreacting? Never!

"Nevertheless, I don't want him around Danny. So we're not asking him." Harry says sternly and that appears to be enough to let the other drop it.

In a way it's nice that he actually remembers that lie and wants to protect me from the big bad Diggory but on the other hand... It had just been a quick lie to avoid Harry from getting suspicious. I hadn't meant for it to damage Diggory's reputation.

"I'll ask Wayne." I change the topic.

Granger nods, satisfied that I'm at least making the effort to include one more person.

When the owls fly in, I almost have to snatch Puengi away from Harry's claws.

"Stop prying into my mail!" I huff when I finally free the bird.

There isn't much to pry in anyway. All I've got is the Daily Prophet which for a change doesn't have Fudge or Umbridge on the cover, a letter from our mom asking how things are going. I'm sure Harry must have gotten one as well.

Still no letter from Noa though. I must have written her over 10 letters since the Howler she send me but Puengi always comes back empty-handed. I guess she really doesn't want to talk to me anymore.

For the next few days Granger has been interacting with people way more than she usually does. We would do the little meeting in Hogsmeade this weekend so I guess we were kind of in a hurry.

Honestly, I had only asked Wayne. He had seemed really excited about it, even more than Granger, and promised me he would try to find even more people interested. I had wanted to ask the twins and Lee as well but of course the others already beat me to that. Lee's sister, Kellah Jordan and Fay Dunbar, the only girls in my house I could actually have a conversation with that didn't involve boys and make-up, would be joining us as well. As for the others, I have no idea who to expect though Granger has made it pretty clear a lot of people will be coming. I don't think Harry is aware that there will probably be a lot more people than he can count on his fingers.

And finally it is that day. The day of the first Hogsmeade trip. The day we'll get to see just how many people there are who want Harry to teach them. And the day I'll test my own creation on Neville.

I thought about the right way to do this. I'll go downstairs with Harry, Granger and Weasley, then pretend I've forgotten my wand even though I never go anywhere without it. I will sneak into the boys dormitory and slip my potion into Neville's cough syrup. It's a plan that cannot fail.

"Oh!" I slap my forehead because I'm that great an actress. "I forgot my wand!"

"Really?" Harry frowns suspiciously. "That's the one thing you never forget."

"Well, I forgot it, okay!?" I snap at him. "I'll go get and I'll see you in the courtyard later."

I'm in luck. Just as I had hoped, the tower is practically completely abandoned. I quickly rush upstairs to look for Neville's syrup. It's not that hard. It's on the nightstand next to the only bed that looks remotely clean. How can those boys live in such a pigs nest?

I pull out the little vial I kept in my robes with my very own potion in it and pour a little in his syrup. But maybe that won't be enough. Better be sorry than safe. That is the expression, right? I pour the whole content of the vial in Neville's syrup. That ought to do it.

I make it out of their dorm and out of the tower without running into anyone.

"Did you find your wand?" Harry asks me once I meet up with the others.

"Yep," I grin victoriously, which of course doesn't make any sense to them. "Everything went smoothly."

"You're so weird." Weasley shakes his head.

_So what did you think? I would love to hear it!_


	10. Hogsmeade

_Thank you __**Just Another Aceves, xXMizz Alec VolturiXx, BlueRose22, **__**a person **and **HazelSkye **__for reviewing! It always makes me so happy to see the number of reviews increase and to read your kind words._

Chapter 10

"Jeez, this weather is freaking cold," Weasley sniffs and shivers.

"So where are we meeting up? The Three Broomsticks?" Harry asks once we've reached Hogsmeade.

"Of course not," Granger says. "Too many students and teachers. No, we'll be meeting in the Hog's Head."

"What's that?" I wonder out loud.

"It a pub as well but no students venture there so there won't be a chance of our conversation being overheard."

The moment we enter the pub, I can see why no students come here. I can't see why anyone would come here. It's definitely a shady place. The man behind the counter looks kind of creepy and I'm sure no one has cleaned this place in a very, very long time.

"Cosy," I say sarcastically with a pointed look at Granger.

"It's not so bad," She tries to pretend she isn't feeling disgusted and dirty because of this place as well.

She is the first one to enter the place and order four butterbeers from the bartender.

"I think I just saw a rat," I scoff once the man is out of hearing range.

When he comes back to bring us our drinks, I use a cleaning spell on my glass three times just to make sure I won't catch some dodgy illness from drinking it.

"So who's coming?" Harry asks once we've all dared to take a sip of our drinks.

"Well,-" Granger starts but never gets to finish the sentence.

The door of the Hog's head opens and in walk more people than I think fit in this place. The first one to enter is Neville, followed by Dean and Lavender. Of course wherever Lavender goes, the Patil twins follow so they're here as well. Two girls I don't know who are clearly from Ravenclaw enter the pub as well. Even though I don't know them, Harry seems to know at least one of them because he stares at the beautiful girl with big eyes. Wait, I think I do know that girl. Isn't that Cho Chang?

More people just keeping coming in. Luna Lovegood, Katie Bell, Angelina Johnson, the Creevey brothers, Kellah and Fay, Wayne who smiles at me and appears to have brought two boys and two girls with him, three Ravenclaw boys I don't know who tag along after Ginny Weasley, some other guy no one seems to know and finally Lee and the Weasley twins.

"I thought you said there were going to be a few people?" Harry turns his head annoyed in Granger's direction.

"The idea seemed quite popular," She smiles.

"27 butterbeers, please," Fred immediately walks up to the bartender who looks at all the people who've entered his pub with big eyes. I don't think he's ever seen so many people in here.

"Why are these people here?" Harry asks Granger while everyone's busy with finding themselves a seat.

"They're here for you. They want to hear what you have to say."

"But I don't have anything to say," He grumbles.

She isn't listening to him anymore. She gets up and is trying to figure out how to talk to this many people.

"Euhm... Hi."

She isn't very good at it.

"So... well... you're obviously here for the same reason. We thought... I mean... I mean, I had the idea... that, maybe, with a small chance, there could be, if not..."

Oh, God. She sucks at this.

I could see all the people's expressions turn into confusion while she's tripping on her own words.

"What Hermione is trying to say," I butt in because honestly I think I'll do a better job at this than Granger. "That the reason you are all here is because you want to learn Defence Against the Dark Arts and Umbridge isn't teaching us. So she," I point at Granger. "had the idea to take matters into our own hands."

"Yeah, that's what I meant," She says softly while nodding her head at my words.

"To pass your OWLs?" One of the people whose name I don't know asks.

"While that's important as well, the main reason for learning about Defence is because we should be able to protect ourselves now that Voldemort has returned."

Once I say his name everyone stares at me with big eyes and they all wear a sort of frightened expression on their face due to the mere mentioning of his name. If they want to be able to defend themselves against him, they really all should learn to simply say the name.

"How can you say that so easily and sudden?" Weasley sighs and shakes his head at my antics.

"Danny is right," Granger stands up again with new found bravery. "We need to prepare ourselves now that V-Voldemort's back."

Well, she seems like she's in control of herself again. I sit down next to Harry who doesn't seem at ease.

"Where's the proof?" One of the guys whose name I do not know addresses Granger.

"Dumbledore says-"

"I know what Dumbledore says," The boy sneers. "Dumbledore says what _he _says."

The guy points at Harry with an almost accusing finger. I don't like this guy.

"And who the hell are you?!" I cross my arms over my chest and try to stare the guy down.

"Zacharius Smith, and I think we'd all like to know why we should believe him."

"Listen, you little punk -" I snap at him.

"It's okay," Harry puts a calming hand on my shoulder. He stands up as well now and addresses that stupid Zacharius Smith. "I saw him. If you don't believe that, it's fine. I'm not going to waste any time trying to convince you of something you don't want to believe."

Harry casts what I can only describe as an angry look at Granger. I guess he's not too happy right now that she set this up. He doesn't want to talk about that night. I don't want him to either. I had to witness it once, I don't want to hear it again.

"So..." Granger continues, nervous once again. "If you want to learn-"

"Is it true that you can produce a patronus?" One of the Hufflepuff girls interrupts and asks Harry the question.

"Yeah," He says as though that's not impressive at all.

Some of the people in this place look at him in awe.

"And did you kill the Basilisk with that sword in Dumbledore's office?" Someone else pipes in.

"Euhm... Yes, I did."

"And he saved that stone in our first year," Neville joins the excitement that is now sizzling in the room.

"And don't forget about the tasks he had to go through last year," The girl of who I think might be Cho Chang says.

The fact that Harry blushes slightly at the mention of what he's done, convinces my suspicion that she is indeed Cho Chang, the girl he had a crush on last year. It appears that crush hasn't really gone away.

"But I had a lot of help-" Harry falls into a repeat of the conversation he had with his two friends that night in the tower.

"Not with the dragon, you didn't."

"Or the dementors."

Pff, I helped with the dragons!

"The point I'm trying to make -"

"You're just trying to weasel out of showing us any of that stuff," Zacharius huffs.

God, I hate this guy already.

"We've all turned up to learn from him and now he's saying he can't really do anything."

"That's not what he said," Fred takes the words out of my mouth before I can hiss them at the guy.

"Would you like us to clean out your ears for you?" George stares at him with a kind of dangerous look in his eyes and pulls a strange but probably lethal stick out of his bag.

"Or any part of your body, really, we're not fussy where we stick this."

I really wouldn't mind if they attempted such a thing.

"Moving on," Granger tries to calm things. "Who wants to take lessons from Harry?"

Despite grumbling Zacharius, everyone seems to be quite on board with the idea.

"Well then, we should decide how often we meet up."

"Once a week?" Lee proposes.

Everyone seemed to agree on that.

"And now the matter of where."

"We can't exactly use an empty classroom," I voice my own thoughts.

"Then what do you propose?" Weasley sighs.

How the hell should I know a good place to do this thing? I've only been going to school here for a few weeks.

"Well, we'll come up with something later," Granger suddenly pulls out a piece of parchment and a quill out of her bag. "I think everyone should write down their name so we know who was here but more importantly, if you sign this, you are agreeing not to tell Umbridge or anyone else about this."

Even though the twins happily put their names at the top of the list, some others seemed rather hesitant about this new development.

"Euhm... I can just hear from the others when the meeting is," The boy named Ernie says hesitantly.

"Coward," I hiss loudly under my breath when I take the quill from Ginny and sign my own name on the list.

"It's just that I'm a prefect and if that list is found-"

"Nobody is going to find it. Hermione is going to protect it with her life," I say.

Even though he still seemed nervous about it, he accepted the quill I offered him and signed the paper.

Eventually everyone signed it, some more reluctant than others. All were very quiet afterwards, as if they just signed a death wish.

"Well, we'll be going. Devious plans and all that," Fred grins. "Wanna join, Danny?"

I do. But I feel like I might still be needed here so I nicely decline.

People start leaving the place now that all the official business is over. I say a quick goodbye to Fay, Kellah and Wayne before sitting back down next to Harry.

"That wasn't so bad, now was it?" I smile at him.

"I guess not."

"That Zacharius bloke is a douche," Wealsey grumbles, still annoyed by the other guy's words. "What was he doing here anyway?"

"I think he came here with Wayne," Granger wonders out loud.

"So it's your fault he was here," Weasley narrows his eyes at me.

"What do you mean my fault?! You were the ones who told me we had to get a lot of people interested."

"Exactly, and it was a success. I mean, Michael Corner and his friends wouldn't have come either of he wasn't dating Ginny."

Oh, the look on Weasley's face is priceless. I'm so glad I stayed.

"Wait.. what?! My sister is... He's... What?!"

"He's your sister's boyfriend," I explain to him as though he's an idiot. "That means they're a couple, they hold hands, peck each other's lips, make out passionately and if you're sister puts out it means they have a lot of action in-"

"Okay!" He screams with an angry blush on his cheeks. "I got it. But I thought Ginny fancied Harry."

"She gave up on that."

So that's why I hadn't caught her staring at my brother anymore lately and why she was finally able to open her mouth around him and pronounce something other than a sigh.

"Well, something good definitely came out of this," Granger suddenly smiles secretively.

"What's that?" Harry asks.

"Cho couldn't keep her eyes off you."

So the girl was Cho. She's really pretty, maybe a little bit out of Harry's reach. But Granger was right, she had been staring non-stop at him.

Harry seemes a little uncomfortable by the subject but I can tell he's actually really pleased by Cho's attention for him. Good, it's about time that guy gets his first kiss.

"I don't know about you guys," I get up and put my coat back on. "But Harry and I are going to Zonko's Joke Shop."

"We are?" He frowns.

"I just sat through an entire hour of hearing people boast about your accomplishments. You owe me," I give him a pointed look.

He seems to agree because he gets up as well. Unfortunately his friends do the same.

"Good idea, I need some new Sugar Quills anyway," Weasley says.

I should have know those two would join us as well. It's like you can't have Harry without them.

"Must those two always tag along?" I grumble to Harry once we leave the Hog's Head.

"Hate to break it to you, but you're the tag-along," Weasley snaps at me.

"Don't act so scorned, princess."

His face turns red once again when Harry interrupts us and asks to get along. Get along? With him? Yeah, right!

I've never been to Hogsmeade before so right now I'm like a little kid on Christmas morning, running from one store to another excitedly while Harry and the two others are forced to run after me.

"Could you maybe stay in one place for longer than five seconds?" Granger eventually asks with an annoyed and tired expression on her face.

"Fine. This is the last store anyway."

Honeydukes is candy paradise and since I am just as much a sweet tooth for chocolate as any girl, I don't mind spending a lot of time in the shop. They have so many different kinds that it's impossible to make a choice. Do I go for the Chocolate Frogs or the Choco-Locos? The Fizzing Whizzbees or the Tooth-Splintering Strongmints?

"Having a bit of a dilemma?" A voice I know all too well comes from my right.

"I do. How do you make a choice when there are so many things you want to enjoy?" I sigh dramatically.

"Why don't you just have it all?"

"And raid the entire shop? I don't think the other students would like that," I grin.

"As long as you leave some for me, I'm fine with it," He smiles.

I actually pick several things and drop the great pile of sweets on the counter. After I pay, I wait in front of the shop for Harry with the Hufflepuff.

"So... I was wondering..." He starts nervously.

"Yeah?" I say while munching on some of my Jelly Slugs.

"I know the next Hogsmeade trip isn't for a while yet, but would you like to go on a date with me next time?" Wayne asks.

Oh... Honestly, I hadn't really thought about going out with anyone. But why wouldn't I? It's not like I'm still pining over the last guy. Jonathan has been history for a while now. Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to go out with Wayne Hopkins. I certainly like the guy enough for it.

"Sure, why not?"

"Oh, okay. Well, I'll give you the details later then."

"Works for me. See you later," I say when I see the three I had been waiting for leave the store.

"Bye," He smiles at me before leaving.

"What did Wayne want?" Granger asks me friendly.

"A date," I grin while Harry chokes on his Chocolate Frog.

"What?" Harry asks me the same time Weasley says "Why?".

"Because I'm very charming when I want to be," I grin.

"But aren't you already... occupied?" Harry asks me.

"Occupied? The date for the next Hogsmeade trip isn't even set yet. How would I know that I'm not available that day?" I frown.

"Not like that. I mean... aren't you already seeing someone else?"

"Not that I know of. Why would you think that?"

"Because you knew Robert Hilliard was on patrol the other night and when I asked you about it, you acted really weird and uncomfortable."

The conclusions that guy jumps to. Isn't he supposed to have great instincts?

"I don't even know Robert Hilliard."

I really don't.

"Then how did you know he was on patrol that night?"

"... Because I ... had seen his name on the map earlier."

I think Granger knows I'm lying. Harry probably does too but he eventually nods his head.

"Still doesn't answer why he would want to go out with you," Weasley mutters.

"Is someone a little jealous? Wayne likes me, Harry and Cho like each other and your sister and Michael Corner are all over each other. Seems like you're the one who isn't very likeable," I grin while mockingly slapping his cheek softly.

"Shut up!"

But the expression on his face tells me that maybe he is feeling a little jealous over the fact that he doesn't have anyone. Well, all he has to do to remedy that is snog the life out of Granger but he doesn't have the balls to do it.

Time passes way too fast and soon it's already time to return to the castle.

The next morning I almost fall out of my seat because the unthinkable has happened. Noa wrote me a letter.

Even though I'm in the house of bravery, I have to admit I am too scared to open the envelope. But the good news is, it isn't a howler.

"Aren't you going to open that?" Harry who is sitting next to me asks.

"No, I'll read it later," I force a reassuring smile before slipping the letter in my bag. "I'll start with the Daily Prophet."

I am eating a lovely toast when I notice something strange happening next to me.

"Are you going through my bag?!" I shout while grabbing it out of Harry's greedy hands. "What the hell are you doing?!"

I don't mind Harry loaning a quill or ink from me but I draw the line at going through my stuff.

"Nothing," He says innocently but that doesn't really work when I caught him with his hands in my bag.

His desperation for finding out what I've been doing the entire time I was sneaking out has reached a whole new level.

"Stay out of my stuff, Harry. That's my last warning to you," I huff angrily before grabbing one more toast and leaving the Great Hall with my bag clutched closely to my side.

I'm entitled to a little privacy. I'm allowed to keep some things for myself. I don't have to share everything with him, I already had to share a uterus with him once.

I was planning on already heading to the Charms class room when I see a lot of people gathering. What's going on? A large sign is attached to the wall and I have to give a lot of elbow punches to make it far enough to the front so I can read what's on it.

_By order of the High Inquisitor of Hogwarts_

That's already a really, really bad beginning.

_All student organisations, societies, teams, groups and clubs are henceforth disbanded._

_An organisation, society, team, group or club is hereby defined as a regular meeting of three or more students._

_Permission to re-form may be sought from the High Inquisitor (Professor Umbridge)._

_No student organisation, society, team, group or club may exist without the knowledge and approval of the High Inquisitor._

_Any student found to have formed, or to belong to, an organisation, society, team, group or club that has not been approved by the High Inquisitor will be expelled._

I look to my right to see Granger read the notice as well.

"There's no way it's a coincidence," I tell her.

"How would she know?" She frowns.

"We weren't the only ones in that pub and I for one don't really trust everyone who was present there with us. One of them might have spilled the beans."

"That's not possible."

"Are you really that naive that you can't-"

"No, they really couldn't have done it because I jinxed the paper they signed. If someone told Umbridge we would know and that person would most definitely regret it."

"Really?" I ask her in wonder. "That's kind of smart. What will happen to them?"

"Let's just say it completely redefines acne."

I kind of want to see that even though that would mean someone blabbed. On second thought, let's just never see it.

When me and Granger arrive at our class room, she sits down next to Harry while I eye the seat next to Neville. It is the moment of truth.

"Hi, Neville," I smile brightly at him once I slip into the seat.

"Hi," He smiles back.

That doesn't really mean anything. Neville's really nice. He always smiles at everyone.

"So how are you feeling?" I smile.

"Euhm... good," Neville says, a little unnerved by my sudden interest in his health.

"So no dizziness or stomach ache? Feel like throwing up? Heavy eye lids?" I think of some possible side effects of the potion.

"What? No."

"Any other weird sensations in your body?"

"W-why are you asking me that?" He blushes awkwardly.

"I'm just worried about the health of all my fellow class mates," I shrug casually. "So you don't have like a weird taste in your mouth since, euhm... let's say last night?"

"No," Neville looks at me with suspicion.

I guess I wasn't being subtle but how else was I supposed to find out the effect of the potion? And it's not like my weird questions are going to make him realise I slipped an equivalent of a love potion in his cough syrup.

"Do you think I'm pretty?" I ask him sweetly.

It is still a sort of love potion but weaker. The person who takes it wouldn't become in love with me, he would just really, really like me, a lot, and find himself unable to refuse me anything. The effect would also only be noticeable in my presence.

"Y-yes," He stutters out with an even darker blush than before.

"The prettiest girl you've ever seen?"

He can't answer that question because he starts stuttering heavily and in his awkward situation spills his ink over the desk.

I let him clean up the mess he created all though I might have had something to do with it as well. I pretend to listen to professor Flitwick while I'm actually thinking about the potion. Neville doesn't seem to be basking in my presence the way he should be. Instead he's just really awkward and stutters. Maybe the potion reacts differently, depending on the person's character. Or maybe the potion isn't strong enough. It couldn't or at least shouldn't have worked out by now. That potion was designed to have an effect for three weeks.

"Psst, Neville," I try to grab his attention again while he's trying to write down what the professor is saying.

"Yes?"

"I would like for you to yell through the entire class that Charms sucks," I whisper to him.

"W-what? I can't do that," He looks alarmed at me.

"Please? It would make me very happy," I smile sweetly at him.

"N-no."

I lean back in my chair frowning. He shouldn't have been able to deny me that. It seems to me like the potion isn't strong enough by a long shot or maybe it isn't even working at all. That's a bummer.

I leave Neville alone for the rest of the hour. It's clear to me that he's not having the desired effect. I guess I still have some work to do on my creation. And in the meantime I have no idea how to control the prefects in this castle.

I'm still occupied in my head with what changes I will have to make to the potion while I walk to my next class with Harry, Weasley and Granger.

"Are you okay?"

I turn to my right expecting to see Harry but instead it's Weasley who's looking at me with concern.

"Euhm... yeah," I frown.

"Are you sure? You seem kind of troubled. Maybe I can help you with whatever is bothering you?"

"Why on earth would you want to help me?"

"Look, Danny, I know I'm usually really rude to you but you're right. I am jealous because I could never compete with how awesome you are."

My mouth literally fell open at his words. What was he saying?! I turn to my left to see Harry and Granger staring at him as well.

"Did he just say I'm awesome?" I ask them and they nod in disbelief.

I shake my head and try to put some distance between me and Weasley. His nice behaviour is kind of freaking me out. But when we enter the Transfiguration class room he quickly calls dibs on the seat next to me and slides in happily. Harry and Granger sit in front of us.

"What did he have for breakfast?" I ask Harry while trying to stop Weasley from touching my hair.

"Just the usual. He can't have eaten something weird."

"Then why is he acting weird?" I sigh annoyed at the guy next to me who's actually pouting at me because I'm trying to ignore him.

"I don't know. Maybe someone jinxed him," Granger thinks out loud. "Could be a Confundus Charm and he doesn't realise anymore that you two don't get along."

"You think so?" I frown disbelievingly.

Normally a charm like that would make him really freaked out because he doesn't know what's going on. Instead he just seems to believe he and I are best friends. That doesn't really seem like the work of the Confundus charm.

"Maybe he's sick and he's delusional from the fever?" Harry suggests.

He doesn't really look feverish to me. But let's check. I put my hand on his forehead to check his temperature but it seems normal to me.

"He doesn't have a fever," I shake my head.

When I want to take my hand off his forehead, he quickly grabs it again and puts it on his cheek with a content smile and sigh.

"Wha-what are you doing?" I quickly pull my hand away though he's still trying to reach for it.

"You're so soft," He smiles with a dazed look on his face.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!"

"You sure he doesn't have a fever? He acts pretty delusional if you ask me," Harry mutters.

"Why would he have a fever?" I snap at Harry, annoyed that he doesn't seem to take my word for it. "He was fine yesterday and you think he'd get a fever high enough to lose grip on reality out of the blue?"

"He didn't feel too well last night. He was snivelling and coughing but after he took Neville's syrup he was fine."

"W-what?!" I stutter out.

"He wasn't feeling too well last night?" Harry frowns.

"No, about Neville's syrup!" I yell at him frantically.

"Oh, Neville has this really good cough syrup that does wonders when you have a cold. He doesn't have one anymore and therefore hasn't had to take it for a while but he let Ron have some since he was coughing and all."

Oh. My. God. Weasley isn't acting like this because of a jinx or a fever. He's under the influence of my potion! My love potion!

I stare at Weasley with big eyes and a look of horror on my face while he just smiles back at me as if my attention is the most wonderful thing in the world. He probably thinks so now. This wasn't supposed to happen!

"What's wrong, Danny?" Harry takes in my horrified expression. "Did you figure out what might be wrong with him?"

"No!" I shout. "Why - why would I know what's wrong with him?!"

Don't panic! Don't panic! It will only make them suspicious of me and they'll think I have something to do with Weasley's behaviour. Well, I do but it was Neville who was supposed to adore me now.

"Because you suddenly got that look of enlightenment on your face?"

"I just figured out how to do the spell we were supposed to master last week."

"Didn't you already get it then?"

"No, it wasn't perfect yet," I say quickly.

Harry seems to buy my load of crap and he turns around to listen to professor McGonagall like Granger was already doing.

"Hey, Weasley?" I turn towards the guy who looks at me with adoration in his eyes.

"Please call me Ron, Danny," He begs me.

"Fine, ...Ron," I try the name that's foreign to my tongue.

But he seems to absolutely beam because I called him by his first name. He once again tries to snatch my hand but I keep it out of his reach. It's already bad enough I have to be nice to him, have him being completely infatuated with me, but I'm not going to let him touch me.

"I would like for you to tell me how you're feeling."

"I feel great," He smiles brightly. "I'm so glad I get to sit next to you."

"That's not really what I meant," I sigh. "How are you feeling health wise?"

"Good, I think."

"No dizziness or something like that? Do you have a head ache?"

He just shakes his head. Well, he did seem alright to me.

"What about last night? Did something happen when you drank Neville's cough syrup?"

He thinks for a moment before opening his mouth. That's a first.

"I felt all warm and tingly inside," He laughs. "And then I had to think of you."

Huh? So the potion made him think of me right after he drank it. Does that mean the potion still has an effect even though I'm not around?

"Why do you ask?" He suddenly frowns.

"No reason," I quickly say. "But how about for fun, we keep this conversation between us?"

His face immediately lights up with the thought of sharing some kind of secret with me and he eagerly nods his head.

"Hey," I suddenly think of something. "You know what I would really like?"

"No, what?" He asks me as though he'd give me anything I want.

"I would like for you to go up to McGonagall and tell her Dumbledore wants to snog her senseless and ask her if she too has the hots for him."

"I don't think that's a good idea," He hesitates.

"It would mean the world to me," I smile sweetly at him like I had done an hour earlier at Neville.

But it has a different effect on Weasley. Instead of once again shaking his head, he nervously gets to his feet and walks to the front of the class.

"Mister Weasley, is there a reason why you are no longer in your seat and are disrupting my class?" She cocks an impressive eyebrow at him.

"Yes, professor. I came to tell you that Dumbledore wants to snog you senseless."

The woman and the entire class are gaping at the words that just left Weasley's mouth. I find it very hard not to burst out in laughter.

"And he was wondering if you too had the hots for him."

It's too much. The expression on McGonagall's face is too hilarious and I can no longer contain my laughter. The rest of the class soon joins.

"Detention, Mr Weasley!" McGonagall yells at an uncomfortable Weasley once she has regained her voice.

This whole thing with Weasley could either turn out to be really fun or really tragic.

_So what was the moment you realised Ron took the potion instead of Neville? I was trying to make it clear without making it too obvious. _


	11. Dumbledore's Army

_Thank you __**Just Another Aceves, avengeme, xXMizz Alec VolturiXx, swimmergirl22 **__and __**HazelSkye**__!_

_I love the fact that you're all still loving and following the story. It's great to hear what you think of the story so far. Don't forget to review ;)_

Chapter 11

I had been planning on just sitting the three weeks out and wait for the potion to lose its effect on Weasley but I can no longer take it. It's been three days and his stupid adoration for me is already driving me up the walls. He has lost all notion of privacy and space. He is with me everywhere I go. At first I thought it was convenient because that way I don't have to do anything myself since he's practically my slave now and it's the best way to observe first-hand what effect the potion has on him. But now I'm actually desperate for him to return to his obnoxious but normal self. At least that version of him doesn't freak me out the way this one does.

"What are you doing?"

That stupid eager clown sits down next to me when I have finally found myself a moment of peace. Should have known that wouldn't last.

"Reading a book." I say without takes my eyes of the pages.

"What is it called?" He quickly asks.

I just point towards the cover that has the title on it.

"What is it about?"

"It's too complicated to explain." I sigh annoyed.

It isn't but I am actually trying to cut this conversation short.

"Do you want to play wizard chess?"

"I'm reading."

"I know but we can't do that together and I want to spend as much time with you as I possibly can." He smiles.

There's no way I can focus on my book if he keeps blabbing in my ear like that. So I close the book and announce to him that I'm going to bed.

"I'll go with you." He follows me to the stairs.

"Excuse me?!" I turn to him in shock at his words. "You can't go up to my dorm!"

"Why not?"

"It's the girls' dorm!"

"So?"

"First of all, I don't want you there with me. Secondly, you can't go up the stairs anyway since they turn into slides whenever a boy tries to go up."

"Oh, that's right." He gives me that clueless expression again.

He seems to finally understand that he can't come with me. I'm never leaving my dorm again since it's the only place he won't follow me. Seriously, he even followed me into the girls' bathroom.

I quickly get changed and crawl into my bed. These last few days have been so tiresome and I had a lot of assignments to do on top of bearing Weasley's constant presence. Since he adores me now and all, I could have just asked him to make them for me but I was afraid he'd just mess it up.

I've been twirling the letter I received three days ago into my hands like I have done for the past nights as well. I'm just too chicken to open it and see what Noa has to say. I'm trying to prepare myself for the worst. She might say that she's really angry with me for still trying to contact her even though she's made it clear she doesn't want to speak to me anymore. She could say she hates me now. Or even worse, she could have written me a teary-eyed letter in which she tells me how betrayed she feels and what an awful friend I am.

Somehow while staring at the letter I'm too chicken to open, I fell asleep. Only to awaken abruptly by someone standing over my bed.

"You're so cute when you're asleep." The voice whispers in my ear.

"What the fuck, Weasley!" I jump up and automatically smack him in the face.

He just keeps staring at me with a goofy smile on his face. Didn't he feel the fact that I hit him?

"What the hell are you doing here?!" I yell loud enough to possibly wake up my roommates.

"Well, you said I couldn't come up because the stairs would change into a slide if I tried to so I came up with a solution." He smiles, proudly showing me the broom in his hands.

"You flew up here?!"

"Yep." He nods.

"Have you lost your freaking mind?!"

"Danny?" Kellah's sleepy voice comes from her bed. "What's going on?"

"Nothing." I quickly say.

Before anyone feels the need to open their curtains, this guy needs to leave.

"Go back to your dorm." I hiss at him while trying to push him out of the room.

"What? But I came all the way-"

"Please, go to bed and don't leave it until it's time to get up."

He doesn't seem to be on board with the idea but because of the potion he can't refuse. He sadly nods his head and leaves my dorm.

It can't continue like this. First thing tomorrow, I'm going to come up with an antidote.

But coming up with an antidote proves to be much harder than making a potion from scratch. I skip all classes, because I'm that desperate, and lock myself up in an empty classroom with protection spells on it to come up with this impossible antidote.

After six hours of mixing ingredients and have things explode in my face, I decide to just give up for the day. I have no more energy left for this. I guess I'll just have to endure Weasley a little while longer.

I was on my way back to the common room when I ran into a frantic looking Harry.

"Harry? What are you doing?"

Unlike me, he's supposed to be in class.

"I found a place for the meetings." He breathes out.

"You did? Well, where is it?"

"It's the Room of Requirement."

"The Room of what now?"

"It's kind of weird. The room appears when you need it and how you need it." He tried to explain to me.

"That does sound weird especially since you're not making any sense to me."

"Yes, but- … Hey, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in class right now?"

"Shouldn't you?" I cock my eyebrow at him.

Since he can't point an accusing finger at me when he's in the wrong himself, he wisely changes the subject again.

"Do you want to see it?" He asks.

He drags me to the seventh floor and abruptly stops in front of a plain wall.

"This is it." He points to the brick wall.

"Wow, it's very impressive." I sigh sarcastically.

"Just wait." He says before starting to pace in front of the wall.

"What are you doing?" I frown.

But he doesn't answer me. Instead he just keeps pacing while mumbling something about a gathering under his breath.

Oh God, it's official. Harry has lost his mind. I have to say I'm surprised it lasted this long.

But then something weird happens. A door pops up out of nowhere where I'm pretty sure there had just been bricks before. Harry doesn't seem very surprised by it. He's actually about to open the suspicious door. Hasn't that boy learned anything?

"What are you doing?!" I stop his hand from reaching for the doorknob. "You have no idea what's behind this door."

"The Room of Requirement is." He says simply.

"What do we know about this room anyway? For all we know it might be a trap."

"It's safe, Dobby told me about this room."

"Dobby?!" I yell. "You mean the house elf who tried to kill you on several occasions? Yeah, because he seems very trust worthy."

Before I could convince him that even though Dobby means well, he usually ends up doing more harm than good, Harry opens the door and enters the room. I am forced to follow my idiotically naïve brother.

The room we enter doesn't seem to have any death traps, at least none that I can spot right away. Instead the room is surprisingly pleasant.

The place is very spacious with enormous tiles and many arcs. There are huge windows that bathe the room in a radiant light. One wall is actually a giant bookshelf and when I inspect it closely I realise they are all on Defence Against the Dark Arts. It is as though this room was made for the purpose we have in mind for it.

"It's perfect, right?"

"It's a little suspicious. That's what it is."

"The room becomes anything you need it to be. All you have to do is walk in front of the wall three times, thinking about what you need. I needed a place where I could teach you defence and this is what it came up with."

How come I had never heard of such a room before? I could use it for all kinds of thing. For example, brewing the antidote for my love potion because this would be much safer than an empty class room with shields put up around it.

"So what do you think?"

"I think… we're ready to have our first meeting." I grin at him.

Harry went out to tell Granger and Weasley about it so they could alert all the members of our little club while I decided to return to my dorm. I'm exhausted after this really frustrating and futile day.

When I got to my dorm, the letter Noa had written to me, is open. How is that possible?! I never opened it, I was too afraid of what was written in it. Had Harry gone through my stuff again?! But wait, how could he even have gotten in my dorm? No guy had ever gotten up here with the exception of Weasley last night…

Was it Weasley!?

I want to go yell at him and accuse him of butting in my business and crossing an awful lot of boundaries. But the letter is open now and I can see there is only one phrase written on it. I might as well read it now. I grabb the letter from my night table and absorb Noa's few words.

_Stop writing. I need more time._

_Noa_

Well, at least she didn't call me any names. But I had hoped that maybe, just maybe this letter had contained her forgiveness. So much for that.

I didn't see Weasley again until dinner. The minute I enter the Great Hall, he is standing in front of me, bouncing up and down with excitement. I am about to crush his high spirits.

"Were you in my dorm?!" I hiss angrily at the guy who looks like a slapped puppy once again.

"Well, yes. Last night, remember?" He smiles.

"I mean after that!"

"Yes, this morning because I wanted to wake you up so we could have breakfast together but you were already gone. And 10 o' clock because I was worried since you weren't in class. I stayed there until lunch, hoping you would be there but you weren't. Then I went back to your room and stayed there until some of the girls entered and kicked me out."

Okay, Weasley is officially stalking me now and it's really freaking me out.

"Did you read the letter that was next to my bed?"

He doesn't even try to deny it, he just nods happily.

"Why would you do that? Things like that are private! You have no right to go through my stuff!" I yell at him.

"But I saw the name on the back. Noa. Who is he? How do you know him? What does he want from you, Is he bothering you? Because if he is, I'll kill him!"

Who is this person?! Even if Noa was a guy, nothing gave him the right to go through my mail or to be in my dorm. I'm afraid this potion is starting to become rather dangerous. If he actually broke into my room, who knows how far the potion will drive him?

"Stay out of my room and out of my personal stuff! That's an order." I hiss.

And because of the insane potion I gave him, he has to obey.

When I sit down at the Gryffindor table, he immediately claims the seat next to me and spends the rest of the meal staring at me while he usually just shoves food down his throat and ignores me. Those were the good old days.

"What's up with Ron?" George asks while pointing at his delirious brother.

"We don't know." Granger sighs. "He's been acting really strange these last few days. He seems to think he and Danny are close."

"We are close!" Weasley suddenly shouts angrily at Granger. "You're just jealous because Danny and I are each other's most important person, bitch!"

My mouth dropped open, as did Granger's. Did he just call his best friend a bitch?!

"What did you just say?!" Granger shouts back once she regains her senses that were blown to bits by his insult.

"I said-"

Before he can make matters worse, I clamp my hand in front of his mouth. When the two of them get into a swearing competition, things will get really ugly.

"I'm sure he didn't mean to say that, right?" I look sternly at Weasley while shaking my head.

"Yeah, I didn't." His head follows my movement.

"Wow, he's like your little obedient puppy." Fred laughs.

He has no idea.

Even though the twins seem to find it amusing and Harry isn't even paying attention to us since he's staring at Cho Chang once again, Granger looks at me suspiciously. I'm afraid it's just a matter of time before she figures out what I did.

I finally get a good night sleep now that I've explicitly told Weasley he can't come up to my dorm anymore though he definitely whined when I said I was going to bed and he should go to his own.

The next day is our first meeting with the little club Harry will be teaching. We're the first ones to arrive, me, Harry, Granger and obnoxious Weasley.

"So, what will we be learning today, professor?" I grin at my brother.

"Well, I thought we'd start with something simple like Expeliarmus." Harry says calmly, strangely reminding me of an actual professor.

"That's good." Granger nods. "But before we start, there are some things we have to discuss."

Suddenly the door opens and reveals Weasley's face who we've ordered to stand outside the room so he could explain the place to all the members.

"Here are the first ones, Danny." He smiles.

I roll my eyes. Why does he always have to address me?

When finally everyone has arrived and settled down, all eyes are on Harry, expecting him to start right away but once again Granger beat him to it.

"I think we ought to select a leader."

Huh?

"Harry is the leader." Cho says firmly and I can tell Harry is not untouched by her defending him.

"Yes but I think we ought to vote on it properly." Granger says.

"What?! Why?" I scoff, finding voting on it completely unnecessary.

"It makes it formal and it gives him authority." She explains. "So, everyone who thinks Harry ought to be our leader?"

"This is beyond ridiculous." I mutter but obviously raise my hand just like everyone else in the room.

"Right, thanks." Harry says awkwardly. "And-"

But he can't continue because Granger once again interrupts him.

"I also think we ought to have a name. It would promote a feeling of team spirit and unity, don't you think?"

Well, I guess we could use a name. It's getting kind of hard to refer to this group as the bunch of people who will learn Defence from Harry. A name might come in handy.

"Can we be the Anti-Umbirdge League?" Angelina says hopefully.

"Or the Ministry of Magic are Morons Group?" Fred suggests.

I'm all for those ideas.

"I was thinking," Granger frowns accusingly. "more of a name that doesn't tell everyone what we're up to, so we can refer to it safely outside meetings."

"The Defence Association?" Cho says. "The DA for short, so nobody knows what we're talking about."

"Yeah, the DA's good," Ginny agrees. "Only let's make it stand for Dumbledore's Army, because that's the Ministry's worst fear, isn't it?"

Even though I'm not really liking the name since it contains the person's name who has been ignoring my brother's existence this year when he's supposed to have his back as well, I do like the idea of naming this group the Ministry's worst fear. So when Granger calls a vote again, I raise my hand.

"The DA it is." She smiles before writing the name in big bold letters on the piece of parchment with our signatures on it and pins it to the wall.

After that, Harry explains to them that we'll be practising Expeliarmus today and even though there are some complaints (from Zacharius Smith of course), everyone starts with it once Harry clearly states it has saved his life in the past.

This first meeting is kind of boring because even though that spell is practically my brother's signature move, I'm just as good at it. And when Lee continuously fails at disarming me (probably because I keep disarming him every second he tries to say the spell), he eventually gives up.

Harry is walking around the room, praising the ones who succeed and giving pointers where necessary. And even though he glances in Cho's direction every five minutes, he's really great at this teaching thing.

"Same time, same place next week?" Harry asks once it's over.

"Sooner!" Some cheer in excitement.

"Let's say next Wednesday night then."

People agree and start leaving the place. It's getting rather late and curfew will start in a few minutes so some are quite eager to return to their common room. Others still thank Harry and Granger is telling him he did pretty well. I can always praise him later.

I just walked out of the room when Wayne comes walking next to me.

"I… I don't know if you've heard but the next Hogsmeade trip's date has been set."

"Yeah, I saw the notice."

"Oh, well, is 11 o'clock at the entrance okay for you? Unless you've changed your mind of course."

Before I can tell him that I'd still really like to go on a date with him, a rough hand grabs my arm and pulls me rather violently into someone's side.

"What the-"

"Danny isn't going anywhere with you!"

Weasley looks kind of frightening right now. I don't think I've ever seen him this angry, not even when I had filled his mattress with the twins' awful smelly three weeks old socks instead of feathers. He had been really pissed about that.

"Euhm… isn't that something Danny should decide?" Wayne frowns in confusion.

"Yes, it is!" I say angrily while pushing Weasley as far away as I can. "Of course I still want to go, Wayne. I'll see you there."

"Okay, see you later."

With Wayne gone, I turn angrily at Weasley who still seems to be fuming and glaring in the direction Wayne left.

"What the hell was that?!" I shout while poking him in the chest with an accusing finger.

"I don't like him."

"Even so, that was extremely rude! And I thought you were with Harry and Hermione?"

"I'd rather be with you."

When is he going to get it into his thick skull that the last place on earth I want to be, is next to him?! But no matter how many times I tell him to back off, the potion keeps drawing him to me. I know all of this isn't really his fault but it's so damn annoying. So instead of yelling at him once again, I sigh and make my way over to our common room.

"You're not really going on a date with him, are you?" He suddenly breaks the silence which lasted almost for a whole blissful minute.

"Yes, I am and you already knew that." I sigh.

"Yeah, but that was before." He pouts.

"Before what?"

"Before you and me." He says simply.

"What do you mean 'you and me'?" I look at him with wide eyes.

"Well, we've been so close lately,"

Because he just won't leave me alone.

"And I've always felt like you and I have a special bond."

Since when?!

"I just don't want any other guy to have you. You're mine."

"Excuse me?!" I angrily turn around to face him. "I am not yours! And if you were sane right now, you'd know that we can't even stand each other!"

I felt kind of insulted to hear him claim that I'm his. I don't even want to hear a guy I like say something like that, let alone this buffoon.

"You don't get it!" He huffs frustrated.

"Don't get what?!" I huff right back.

I will regret saying those words for all of eternity because it made him feel the need to show me instead of explaining it to me. Before I can fully comprehend what's happening I feel rough hands clutching on to my arms and chapped lips press themselves against mine.

The kiss, if you can even call it that, was the most unpleasant experience in my life. As if the strong grip on my arms and those awful big sucking lips on mine wasn't awful enough yet, I suddenly feel a sloppy tongue trying to make its way into my mouth. I start protesting with all my might once I feel that. Finally I'm able to push him away completely before his tongue can reach its destination.

"WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?!" I shout louder than I ever have before.

Why the hell would Weasley kiss me?! He's not in love with me, the potion is not supposed to make him think about things like that.

"Because I've wanted to do that for so long." He sighs blissfully.

"I AM GOING TO CASTRATE YOU!" I scream before lunging myself at him and tackling him to the ground.

I am actually pointing my wand at his throat with every intention to hex him into impotence, when someone pries me off him.

"LET GO OF ME! I'M GOING TO KILL HIM!" I shout at the unknown person who's trying to stop me from killing off Weasley.

"That might not be the best idea. I think they've made it illegal." A warm voice floats to my ear.

Great, as if this situation wasn't bad enough yet. Cedric Diggory's presence brings it to a whole new tragic level.

"Don't touch her! She's mine!" Weasley growl at Diggory.

His?!

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" I start thrashing violently in Diggory's hold, trying to get my hands around Weasley's neck so I can choke the life out of him.

Diggory doesn't seem to have a very hard time keeping a hold on me, but I can see him frown at what Weasley said.

"I think it might be a good idea for you to leave. She doesn't seem to be very happy with your presence." Diggory says to Weasley.

"I'm not leaving her with you! She-"

"JUST GO!" I shout at him because I know that if he stays one minute longer I'm going to do something dumb. Satisfactory but dumb nonetheless.

He doesn't want to leave but since I'm sure I look like a starving lioness right now he makes the right call and leaves.

It actually takes me quite some time to calm down and even then I'm still fuming on the inside. I can't believe I had Weasley's lips on mine! I need to disinfect them or something.

"You can let go." I say coldly.

Diggory cautiously loosens his hold and I quickly step away from him.

"Well, that was-"

"If you say entertaining, I will snap you like a twig!" I bite.

"…something. That was something." He says while trying to keep a straight face but I can see he's having a hard time trying to supress the amused grin I've come to hate.

"Well, at least someone is finding amusement in all of this." I huff angrily.

Now that he is standing right in front of me, I realise I actually haven't seen a lot of him lately. The last time we spoke was in the infirmary and that was surprisingly enough an almost pleasant conversation. This, however, is not.

"Just out of curiosity, what was all that about? I know you can be rude sometimes but I've never actually seen you physically attack someone before."

"You don't want to know."

I don't want anyone to know about what just happened between me and Weasley!

"Do you know how late it is?" He suddenly asks me.

"No, why?"

"It's past curfew."

Oh, as if this recent violation wasn't bad enough yet. Now I've also been caught by the Head Boy after hours!

"Come on, I'll walk you to your common room, Danny." He smiles softly at me before leading the way to the Gryffindor tower.

"You're not going to rat me out? Isn't that kind of your job as a Head Boy?" I frown in confusion.

"It seems to me like you already have enough on your plate, I'm sure you can do without an additional detention."

I'm kind of touched by the fact that he seems to continuously have my back even though I insult and poison him. Maybe I'm the bad guy out of the two of us.

"Thank you." I say softly but I know he heard me.

We continue to walk in silence for at least a good five minutes. I'm actually thinking of something to say but I'm failing at coming up with anything useful and I refuse to discuss the weather. I realise that Diggory kind of came to my rescue earlier. Even though I really wanted to hurt Weasley right then , I know it would have come back to bite me in the butt and with everything that's going on right now, I really don't need any extra problems.

"How have you been?" I ask.

The minute that words leave my mouth, I want to bash my own skull. 'How have you been?'?! I might as well have asked him about the weather!

"Okay." He shrugs.

"Because of the poisoning, you know. Maybe there were some side effects or something."

I don't know if it's a bad or a good idea to bring it up. He might still be a little angry about it even though I'd like to think we parted on good terms after that conversation in the infirmary. And why do I care about how we parted that day anyway? It's not important.

"No, no side effects or anything. I'm perfectly fine."

"Good." I say quietly.

"Can I really not know what that stuff with Weasley was all about?" He suddenly asks me.

Honestly? I wouldn't really mind telling someone about what was going on. In case you haven't noticed I'm not doing that well in the friend department. Normally I would automatically go to Noa with anything but as you know, she's not talking to me right now and I'm afraid that won't change any time soon. But on the other hand, I still don't want Diggory to realise just how troublesome I really am. He might think he likes that side of me, but I know better.

"I did something reckless, let's just leave it at that." I sigh.

"More reckless than giving me poisoning?" He grins slightly.

I should have known that he would keep bringing it up in conversations from now on. After all, he finally found something to make me feel guilty about.

"Yes." I sigh, because this potions test on Weasley might be even more stupid than that incident though they are related.

"Maybe I don't want to know then." He snickers.

We arrive at the Gryffindor tower rather quickly and I wonder if Harry is already back.

"Just a word of advice," He starts.

I cock my eyebrow at him. He can give me some advice if he insists but he should know I probably won't listen to it anyway.

"Next time a guy tells you he likes you and kisses you, don't shoot him down the way you did with that poor Weasley kid."

My head immediately snaps up. He saw that?! Then why didn't he say something about it earlier?

"You don't know what that was about." I finally say after I'm over the shock of realising he saw the whole thing.

"I think it was pretty obvious. He confessed his feelings to you, tried to kiss the girl he's in love with and you inconsiderately tried to slit his throat."

"He's not really in love with me!"

"How could you possibly know how he feels?"

Trust me, I do. Weasley isn't really in love with me, he's under the influence of that damn potion I'm really starting to resent.

"I think I have a better understanding of what went down there than you do." I stubbornly cross my arms and slightly glare at him.

"I'm just saying you need a new way of rejecting boys gently, the one you have now hurts."

"How do you know-"

I don't finish the sentence because he does know. Even though he never actually went as far as Weasley did just a few minutes ago, he too told me he had feelings for me and attempted a kiss. But I hadn't been as rude to him as I had been with the red buffoon. I had been gentle about it… right?

He seems to realise the reason I'm not ending my sentence. But instead of giving me some kind of reassuring smile that lets me know there are no hard feelings left, he just gives me a blank look.

"You're a heart breaker, Danny. I knew that the moment I laid eyes on you and if I was smart, I would have taken that as a warning to stay far away from you. I'm not saying I regret the decision of getting closer to you last year but…"

"Then what are you saying?"

I feel like every word that just left his mouth has some kind of deeper and heavier meaning to it but unless he'll explicitly say it, I won't understand.

"Never mind," He sighs. "It's not important."

Except that it obviously is. But before I can tell him that what he's saying right now does matter, he already turned around and left.

What was that all about? And why do I suddenly feel like I'm a horrible person, again?


	12. The Blasted Antidote

_Thanks __**xXMizz Alec VolturiXx, a person **__and __**swimmergirl22 **__for being such wonderful loyal reviewers. And of course everyone else who's following this story. I hope you'll enjoy this chapter as well._

Chapter 12

I'm avoiding Weasley. For all the obvious reasons. He's obsessed with me, he thinks he's in love with me and he violated my mouth. I think I have enough reasons to stay away from him.

Plus according to Harry, Weasley acts perfectly normal whenever I'm not around. Another benefit to staying away from him.

But this does mean that I skip every class I have just to prevent me being in the same room as him. Which on the other hand does give me more time to work on the blasted antidote for the potion.

"This is useless!" I throw the remaining ingredients in my kettle after the colour turned black instead of purple.

Since yesterday I've taken up refuge in the Room of Requirement. I was right to change my scenery. This room became the heaven for any potion maker but if I thought it would make this little project easier, I was sorely mistaken.

"How hard can it be to make this thing?!" I mutter to myself.

I'm stuck. I really am. Maybe I was capable of making the adoration potion but this is out of my reach. I need help. I need someone who knows his or her way around potions to assist me in this thing but that's the problem. I don't want anyone to know about this little plan of mine so asking anyone for help is out of the question. Who would I ask anyway? Harry isn't that great at potions and I certainly don't see me receiving help from Snape in this lifetime.

"Is everything okay?" My brother throws me a worried look during diner.

I just nod and continue to quickly shove food down my throat before Weasley makes an appearance in the Great Hall.

"It's just that you've been disappearing at every opportunity again and I don't think I've actually seen you in class at all today."

"It's nothing you should be worried about."

"You always say that," He sighs.

I do feel guilty about hiding things from him and making him worry about what I could possibly be up to. I'm sure it's way worse in his imagination than it is in reality.

"So, will you be joining me, Ron and Hermione to Hogsmeade again this weekend?" He changes the subject and I'm all too eager to follow him.

"No, I've got a date, remember?" I smile slightly.

Not even the prospect of my date with Wayne can lift my spirits though. It just reminds me of what happened last night with Weasley's interference. But the truth is, there's something that's bothering me even more than Weasley's sick obsession with me. And that's the look in Cedric's eyes when he told me those very confusing words. What had that meant? And even though I'm sticking to my great dislike for him, I kind of find the idea of hurting him unbearable.

"Right, with Wayne Hopkins," Harry mutters.

"Do you have a problem with that?" I lift an eyebrow.

Wayne's a great guy and if there's one thing you can't say about him, it's that the guy is rude. I've never heard him say a bad word about anyone and he is one of the people who believed in Harry from the start. That's a really big bonus in my book.

"Of course not. I was just wondering… How did he ask you?"

"Ask me out you mean?" I frown. "Why are you asking me that?"

"No reason," He replies quickly, a little too quickly if you ask me.

Before I can ask him about it once again, I see his gaze leave my face and as usually seek up Cho's presence at the Ravenclaw table. A grin slowly creeps up my face.

"My sweet but balls-lacking brother, there is no way to ask out a girl that makes it impossible for you to be rejected so if you want to find out if Cho Chang considers you as potential dating material, all you have to do is ask."

"What if she says no?" He asks me softly.

His little crush on the Asian beauty is kind of adorable though she probably should know that I have come up with at least 15 ways to kill a person who hurts my brother so far. She might be the girl my brother has taken a huge liking to but even option number 4, death by being drowned in a bath with acid, isn't cruel enough for anyone who hurts my brother.

"Well she can't say yes if you don't ask."

Harry slowly nods his head but I can tell he's not even close to picking up enough courage to ask her such a question. Well, he still has some time left before graduation. Maybe he'll muster up enough by then.

I'm relieved to see that Granger enters the Great Hall without Weasley in tow. He's probably looking somewhere for me though. Or maybe he's dead. I should be so lucky.

"Here," She tosses two coins on the table, in between me and Harry.

"I've told you before and I'll tell you again, no money in the world will ever convince me of being your friend. God, you really don't know when to give up, do you, woman?" I grin.

"Haha," She replies dryly. "These coins have a Protean charm on them."

"What's that?" My brother asks her.

"It's a charm that links objects together."

"With the sole purpose of what?" I ask.

"I've linked several coins together and distributed them among all the DA members. That way all Harry has to do is carve the date of the new meeting on his coin and it will appear the same on all the other ones and we won't have to run personally to every member of the DA. That would have eventually raised suspicion."

I hate to admit it but that girl is fucking brilliant. She thinks of everything!

Before the weekend, we had another meeting with the DA, training the reducto charm. We once again had to practice it in pairs and to my surprise Angelina Johnson asked me to team up with her.

We didn't really say much other than how the other one should improve on the spell. It was a rather awkward silence. I had not forgotten how she had refused to let me try-out for the Quidditch team and I'm sure she hasn't forgotten how I punched a second-year on her training grounds.

"I don't owe you an apology but I still feel like I should give you one," She suddenly says.

She wants to apologise to me? What did she do? Hit a twelve-year old boy? Nope, pretty sure that was me.

"I heard what the boy said," She explains once she sees my confused look. "I kind of think you had every right to hit him."

She did?

"Then why-"

"Any other year I would have simply let you try out anyway," She continues. "But this year with Umbridge, she's keeping an impossible close eye on us. She's even holding that stupid decree she came up with over our heads. She cleared the other teams ages ago but for some reason she needs over two weeks to give us her okay. If she found out I let a girl join who hit a young boy, she would have ruined our team."

She's targeting the Gryffindor Quidditch team? Why? What could she possibly gain from that?

"Because of Harry?"

Angelina nods. If she was protecting her team and therefore Harry as well, there is no reason for me to stay mad at her. She made the right call.

"But then why didn't you tell anyone about what happened? Cyril told me you said to him Ginny was just better than me."

"I figured that if Umbridge is targeting Harry, she might be targeting you as well. I was hoping she wouldn't find out about what happened and it looks like she didn't. Plus, if she doesn't know about your violent nature, than you might still get to try out next year on the condition that you keep your fists to yourself," She smiles slightly.

"Thanks," I tell her and I really do mean it.

Somehow this girl who I've barely spoken to before this, had my back.

I'm still working on the potion and avoiding Weasley of course. Every time I do run into him, his behaviour seems to be getting worse and I'm getting more desperate to come up with the antidote. I want to find it before this Saturday because I'm sure if I don't he will completely ruin my date with Wayne.

But at least I'm finally making progress. I think I might get a first draft by Monday. Unfortunately that means Weasley will still be obsessed with me during the weekend and during the Hogsmeade trip. So I got pretty desperate on Saturday morning and came up with an idea to keep him away from Hogsmeade.

"Can I have a word with you?" I ask Weasley once he bounces in my vision.

"Yes," He smiles brightly.

I lead him out of the common room and to an abandoned classroom.

"I need you to do something for me."

"Anything!" He quickly says before I can even properly finish my sentence.

"I need you to stay right here and guard this."

I hand him a package that he delicately takes from my hands and stares at it in wonder.

"What is it?"

"Something very important to me and I can only trust it with you while I go to Hogsmeade," I say, obviously lying since it's a piece of carton wrapped in paper.

"You're going to Hogsmeade?" His head snaps up again. "With who?!"

I'm pretty sure he won't play meek lamb anymore when I tell him I'm going on a date with Wayne.

"I need to buy a few things, I won't be long."

He seems to be reassured by that. So I turn around to leave and meet up with Wayne at the entrance.

"Wait," He calls me back. "Don't I get a goodbye kiss?"

What?! Like hell he is! But he seems to be waiting patiently for the kiss he's sure he'll receive.

"Well?" He starts to approach me.

Maybe he's not so patient.

If I hit him, he'll follow me to Hogsmeade for sure, but if I don't he'll kiss me again and I'm still trying to suppress the memory of the last time. There really is only one way out of it.

"Here," I shove the piece of candy I had left into his awaiting mouth.

"Wha-?" He still tries to say before his eyes roll back and he falls on the floor unconsciously.

Thank you Fred and George for inventing the Fainting Fancies!

When I get to the entrance, Wayne isn't there yet. Well, I am a bit early anyway.

"Danny!" I hear Harry calling me and see him approaching with Granger. "Have you seen Ron anywhere? He was supposed to wait in the Great Hall for us but no one has seen him."

"Usually he's the first downstairs when he knows he'll be getting a new supply of Sugar Quills," Granger mutters.

Well, I can't really tell them I've lured him in an empty classroom with me and knocked him unconscious with candy.

"I saw him in the tower. He said he's not going because he isn't feeling too well."

Close enough.

"Really? Because he seemed fine when I saw him this morning," Harry frowns.

"That's what he said! Now, you might want to hurry up or all the good carriages will be taken," I push them in the direction of Hogsmeade.

They don't seem to buy it but there's fairly little they can do about it. So they take my advice and get going.

Weasley better return to normal soon because I'm getting tired of everything that comes out of my mouth being a lie.

Wayne's late, I realise when I look at the clock for the third time. That's not a good beginning of a date. A lot of people have passed since I saw Harry and Granger, none of them being the boy I'm waiting for. I'm getting really bored so I've occupied myself with watching other people.

Fred, George and Lee pass by, whispering probably a lot of illegal mischief to each other. When they catch me looking at them, they all give me a grin and a wink. I grin back slightly. Those guys sure are something.

I see Cho Chang heading out with a whole pack of girlfriends. How is Harry ever supposed to ask her out when there's always at least five girls surrounding her? See, that's the advantage of having your best friends living in a different country: I'm totally approachable. But that's about the only advantage there is to it.

Cedric Diggory is here as well. He surrounded by lots of people as well, boys and girls. I always knew he was quite the popular fellow. He's smiling and laughing with something one of the other guys said. He looks fine. There's no trace left of the sulking look I saw in his eyes last weekend. Good, because I didn't like that one bit. Today he looks happy and seeing him smile, makes one creep up on my face as well.

As if he knows I'm looking at him, he turns his head in my direction. I give him a smile, thinking he'll return it the way he always has. Instead his smile disappears when he spots me and he turns back towards his friends with a blank look. What the hell?!

Diggory did not just turn away from me, did he? Why would he treat me coldly anyway? He's the one who practically called me a man eater and he's the one who doesn't believe what me and Harry say while he owes his life to us. I should be the one avoiding him, not the other way around!

I'm still seething with anger due to Diggory's cold behaviour towards me when Wayne finally shows up. Couldn't he have been here three minutes earlier!?

"I'm so sorry I'm late but there was a bit of a problem with my sister," He says, looking sincerely sorry.

"I didn't know you have a sister," I frown.

"Yeah, she's in her seventh year. Her name's Analeigh. She just got dumped by her boyfriend and that means I get to pick up the pieces," He sighs.

Though she's the reason he was late, I find it very endearing to hear what a good brother he is to his sister.

"That's sweet," I smile.

"You think it's sweet that her boyfriend for 2 years broke up with her?"

"No!" I quickly say. "I mean it's sweet that you take care of her."

"Even though it means I was twenty minutes late?"

"Yes. However I will get angry if we don't start going soon."

He nods and we get into a carriage together that will take us to Hogsmeade. Strangely enough I'm not nervous. I thought I might be but being around Wayne feels really comfortable.

"So how's your reducto going?" He asks me once we're comfortable.

"Pretty good, though the aim could use some work."

"As long as you blow up the table and not the person standing next to it, it's good enough I'd say," He grins.

At Hogsmeade we go to Honeydukes, Spintwitches, the Quidditch store, and Zonko's Joke Shop.

"How about The Three Broomsticks next?" Wayne asked, pointing at the cosy pub I hadn't set foot in before.

"Sure, but could we maybe make a quick stop there?"

I'm talking about Dogweed and Deathcap. Very catchy name if you ask me though I'm sure it doesn't exactly lure hordes of customers in. But what's more important than an eye-catching name is the fact that it's an herbology shop. Maybe I could find something in there to complete the antidote.

"It's pretty busy in The Three Broomsticks so maybe I should go find us a seat while you go there," Wayne suggests.

I agree because honestly, I prefer rummaging through all that stuff by myself. This way I won't have to explain to Wayne what I'm looking for anyway.

I could already tell from the outside that it was a bit of a gruesome place, but it gets a whole new meaning once I enter the little shop. It's pretty dark in here and it takes my eyes a while to adjust and realise there's actually standing a woman behind the counter.

"Well, hello there. Could I help you with something?"

The woman behind the counter seems to be around 60 years old. She's wearing traditional robes and glasses.

"Just looking around," I tell her while staring at all the weird things on the shelves.

I guess this isn't a traditional shop. There's no White Rice or Umbrella Flowers. Instead the shelves or packed with plants with faces and herbs surrounded by purple smoke. There are some fishy things packed in here.

"Missy, if you just tell me what kind of thing you're looking for, you'll be out of here faster," The woman smiles at me knowingly as if she's perfectly aware of the things I've been up to lately.

"I don't really know exactly what I'm looking for," I say eventually.

"Then how about you tell me what you need it for?"

It couldn't harm to tell her what I'm making. There's no way Harry or anyone else would find out from her.

"I'm trying to make an antidote for a love potion," I admit to her.

"Amortentia? Or one of Laverne de Montmorency's variations?"

"Actually, … it's my own creation."

Her eyebrows rise in surprise. I guess I don't strike people as a person who brews her own potions.

"Really? Did you use the same ingredients as Amortentia?" She asks me.

"Yes but I've added Asphodel and Billywig sting slime. Which is the problem since all the Love Potion Antidotes I've read about don't uplift their effect."

She nods and then starts sifting through all the weird things in her store. Eventually she pulls out two little jars.

"This is a Bouncing Bulb," She shows me the jar with a purple plant in it that keeps beating against the glass. "It works against Billywig sting slime, it should work as well for your antidote. The other thing is a Puffapod."

The thing looked like a big glowing egg and at the bottom of the jar there were little seeds which seemed to have been produced by the Puffapod.

"It's the main ingredient for a Hate Potion and is thus essential for the antidote of any Love Potion. You'll need to experiment a little with the amount and the stirring but this should do the trick for your little concoction."

"Thanks," I say sincerely.

I pay her the amount I owe her and vow to myself that I'll return to this little shop whenever I want to come up with a potion again. The woman helped me a great deal. Maybe now I'll finally be able to finish my potion.

I shrink the bag from the store so that it can fit into my pocket. I don't need Wayne to ask me what I bought and what I'm going to use it for.

When I enter the pub, I immediately spot Wayne sitting at a table in the far corner. He waves me over and offers me the second butter beer in front of him.

"Did you find what you needed?" He asks me.

"I wasn't looking for anything specific," I lie. "Just wanted to look around."

We chatted about random things for the next two hours. Wayne makes me laugh, he makes me feel really comfortable and around him I feel like I don't have to hide anything. He's kind, nice, funny and smart. But he doesn't light up my insides the way he should. There's no spark. And the further we get on this date, the more I'm starting the dread the ending of it.

Of course we have to head back to the castle eventually. But the moment I had been worried about comes sooner than I expected it to.

We're on our way to the carriages that will bring us back to the school, when Wayne suddenly stops and pulls me in one of the sideway streets.

"I had a lot of fun today, Danny," He smiles.

I nod because despite the absence of fireworks, I had a great time too.

"But I just have to make sure of something first," He says and before I can comprehend what he's doing, I'm once again feeling lips on my own.

The kiss wasn't horrible or disgusting the way it was with Weasley but this one as well didn't give me any abdominal flutters. He pulled away faster than I could push him.

"Nothing!" He shouts aggravated.

"Wh-what?" I stutter out in confusion.

"I don't get it! You're great. You're funny, cool, not to mention beautiful. Then why did that just feel like kissing a guy?!"

"Excuse me?" I huff. "Kissing me is like kissing a guy?!"

"No!" He gives me a shocked expression. "I didn't mean it like that. It's just that all my friends are jealous for going on a date with you as they should be and all I'm thinking about is Romy Courlon."

Who?

"So, basically, you asked me out to get over another girl?" I frown.

"Wow, it sounds really bad when you say it like that."

"Yeah, it does," I say coldly.

Forget everything I just said about the boy. That's not really typically nice guy behaviour.

"Romy has a boyfriend," He sighs. "Yet she chooses to string me along as well though I've been very clear about the way I feel about her. And you know what they say. The best way to get over someone…"

"Is to get under someone else," I huff.

"That's not what I was thinking! I was going to say 'to date someone else'."

"Me being the someone else?"

"Yeah…" He admits.

"What if I had feelings for you? Did you stop to think about that for even just one minute?"

I don't but this was still a really low blow. I could have been in love with him for all he knew.

"You don't."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because the easiest way to figure out whether or not someone has feelings for you, is by observing which direction they look in when in a room filled with people. Whenever we're in the Great Hall, my eyes automatically search out Romy, the way your brother's automatically search out Cho Chang. You don't ever look at me, you're too busy looking at someone else."

I don't know what he meant with that last remark and honestly, I don't think I want to know. But the fact that he did consider my possible feelings before getting me involved in his rebound action, did make my anger waver a little.

"Whether you took my feelings in accord or not, you still used me and no matter what the reason, that's not okay."

"Danny…"

"Take your own carriage back to the school," I tell him before finding myself one to return to Hogwarts.

I'm not angry because he likes another girl. Neither am I mad because he asked me out without actually wanting to go out. But this is the second time within one week that I've been kissed by a guy who doesn't really like me. For once it would be nice to be kissed by a guy who's actually in love with me. With no feelings involved, I feel kind of dirty.

But maybe I can put this whatever into the anger I need for making my antidote for the adoration potion. If I could just solve one problem already, I'll be really happy.

I make it to the seventh floor, to the Room of Requirement without any interruptions. I walk in front of the wall three times before the door appears that leads to my own personal potions lab. I take the two jars out of my pocket and enlarge them to real life size again.

"Attempt number 14," I sigh before starting the antidote once again from scratch.

I've worked on it for four whole hours and it seems like I finally - finally! - have come up with an antidote that might work. Now it just needs to be tested.

I rush as fast as I can back to the common room where I'm sure I'll find my brother's dysfunctional best friend.

"Have you seen Ron?"

Huh, that was supposed to be my question. How come Granger can't find him?

"No, I thought he would be here," I frown.

"Nobody has seen him at all since this morning. I'm kind of worried. You said he wasn't feeling too well. What if he suddenly fainted in a deserted hallway and nobody will find him?!" Granger started to panic.

"Don't worry. We'll find him in no time with the Marauder's Map," Harry tries to reassure the girl who's still in denial about her feelings for the redhead. Her worried and frantic expression make me wonder how she herself is not perfectly aware of it.

I agree with Harry and go up the stairs to my dorm to retrieve the map.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," I say while pointing my wand at the map that at first appears to be a blank piece of parchment.

It takes some time for me to find the dot with the name 'Ronald Weasley' next to it. I eventually find it in a classroom. The empty classroom I left him in hours ago! Oh, fuck! Did he stay in there the entire day? Didn't he went to the Great Hall for lunch? Or even breakfast since he hadn't gotten one yet when I dragged him down there.

I quickly shove the Map in my robes without even making it appear once again as a blank page. I quickly rush down the stairs to go retrieve the probably starving mad man.

"Did you find him on the Map?" Harry asks me as soon as I re-enter the common room.

"Euhm… I just remembered that Fred and George borrowed the map," I lie, though not very smoothly. "I'll go look for them right now."

I completely ignore Harry scolding me for just handing over the Map to other people and I pray to God that he hasn't realised the twins are actually just sitting in the common room and have no idea what the Marauders' Map is.

When I finally make it to the empty classroom I shoved Weasley in this morning, I find the redhead sitting on one of the desks, guarding the wrapped piece of carton like I told him to. Well, at least he's not still knocked out from the Fainting Fancie I shoved down his throat.

"Weasley?" I say softly.

"I guarded it with my life," He smiles while handing me the worthless piece of carton.

"Thanks," I mutter.

I'm kind of worried about what happens next. I want Weasley to take the antidote because my sanity needs it. But when he's no longer madly infatuated with me, he might just be mad because I used him as my guinea pig. Though that was actually supposed to be Neville.

"I have something for you as well," I tell him while pulling out the little vial of antidote.

"You do?! What is it?" He exclaims.

"It's juice," I say. "A new flavour they were selling at Honeydukes. Want to try?"

He takes the potion from my hands with an eagerness that I most certainly will not miss. He downs it as though he knows it will return him to his normal self.

"How are you feeling?" I ask him once he's taken in every single drop of the antidote.

"Not so good," He says while clutching his stomach.

Oh, I hope there aren't any terrible side effects to it.

Before I can ask him what exactly is wrong with him, he goes down.

"Weasley?!"

This is bad. It's really bad. He just fainted!

I get down on my knees to slap him in the face, anything that will make him gain consciousness again. What if I killed him?! Luckily there is still a heartbeat, for now.

Thankfully his eyes open again. He seems to be a bit confused at first but when he fixes his gaze on me, his eyes fill with anger.

"You!" He hisses angrily at me while trying to get up.

What are the odds of him realising what I did?

"You did this to me! I don't know how but you slipped me something to make me act like that!" He shouts.

I'm thinking the odds aren't in my favour.

"What was it?! A love potion? Are you that desperate for affection?!"

"I am not! And the potion wasn't meant for you, Neville was supposed to take it!"

"Oh, so it's him you wanted to change into your own personal little slave!?" He yells angrily at me.

For the record, I didn't want to change anyone into my slave. I just wanted the prefects to tell me whatever I wanted to know. It's not the same thing.

He huffs angrily once more and then moves towards the door.

"Wait!" I stop him. "You're not going to tell Harry about any of this, right?"

His jaw practically drops in disbelieve.

"Of course I am! I would love to see you fall from the pedestal he built for you."

"No, wait, you can't!" I yell again but he leaves the classroom too fast for me to stop him.

Crap! I can't let him tell Harry what happened! I'd have to confess to a lot of other things as well and he will never get off my back then. So there's really only one thing left to do. Chase Weasley down and prevent him from getting to the common room.

I catch up with him on the fifth floor. But even when I'm once again yelling at him to stop, he just ignores me and continues to walk up the stairs.

What was I supposed to do? A lot was on the line. And so I did the only thing that came to mind in this moment of panic. Though objectively speaking it was no one of my best calls.

I quickly draw out my wand and point it at Weasley.

"Obliviate!"


	13. Gryffindor vs Slytherin

_Thank you so much __**Just Another Aceves, xXMizz Alec VolturiXx **__and __**On Roempsis **__for reviewing the previous chapter. I hope you'll like this one as well._

_It's a little bit shorter than usually but I just wanted to get it out to you as soon as possible. Tell me what you thought of it._

Chapter 13

The spell I used on Weasley, to obleviate one's memory, is a really difficult one and before this I've never even tried it once.

"Weasley?" I ask him when I catch up with him which wasn't too hard because he stopped and stared off in space after I hit him with my spell.

"Huh?" He turns to me.

When the spell is done wrong or inadequate, it can erase every memory a person has ever had. Please tell me I didn't do that!

"Why are we here? When did I get here?"

"Do you remember who I am?" I ask him hopefully.

"What kind of question is that?! I wish I could forget who you are!"

Though slightly insulting, I guess that is the answer I wanted to hear.

"But you don't know what happened today?" I ask.

"Actually, the past week seems to be a black hole," He says.

Thank you, whoever made this turn out well.

"Well, you have been kind of sick lately," I try to change the conversation in my favour.

"I have?"

"Yeah, you spend all day today in the Hospital Wing because you weren't feeling very well and this past week, you've been a little delusional."

"Yeah… I guess I have."

This is turning out even better than I could have hoped for.

When we return to the common room and Granger bombards him with annoying questions, he simply repeats the story I've told him a few minutes earlier and she and Harry seem to buy it.

In the next few days it becomes quite clear that Weasley's behaviour has returned to normal. He doesn't follow me around anymore and he seems to actually dislike me again. He also seems to have forgotten everything that has happened the past week and even though that kind of worries his friends, I am very pleased with that fact.

Things have gone back to how they should be and just in time for the big game. It's the first match of the season and what greater way to start it than with a Slytherin-Gryffindor game? The whole castle is getting rather excited over it. Some a little too excited. Slytherins and Gryffindors have been grabbing every chance they got to hex a member of the opposing Quidditch team.

Even though I'm not a member of the team, and I won't admit it but I'm still really bumped out about that, I allow myself to get in the right spirits as well. And I did it by joining Fred and George on their mission to push the Slytherin Quidditch Captain into a vanishing cabinet (which by the way worked, but only for 2 days instead of the desired 5) as retaliation for hexing Alicia Spinnet straight into the hospital wing.

"Good luck with the game today."

That's the sixth person who's come up to Harry this morning to wish him luck. It is kind of the game of the year of course with Slytherin as the other team. According to every Gryffindor, they fight very dirty. Should have let me on the team, I fight dirty as well.

Harry doesn't let any of the riled up mood get to him. Like always before a Quidditch match, he's as calm as he's ever been. Weasley doesn't seem to have the same way of dealing with it as my brother.

"What was I thinking signing up for this?" Weasley sighs miserably while trying really hard to ignore the stares coming from the Slytherin table.

"You'll be fine," Harry attempts to reassure him but he's not too successful at it.

I sigh out of annoyance. Fine, Weasley might have been the most capable one trying out for the spot of Keeper, but was there really no one else? Someone who could stand his ground against the serpents? The way he's trembling on his feet right now, I'm afraid the team stands no chance of winning with a team member like that. Let's just hope Harry catches the snitch fast enough.

Weasley and my brother leave soon after, leaving me all alone at the Gryffindor table with only Granger as company.

"We should probably go soon. If we want to have a good view on the game, we have to get there before the crowd."

"Alright," I shrug.

There's awkward silence between the both of us because we don't really have much to talk about or anything in common. Harry even told me she doesn't understand 'what the big fuss is about Quidditch'! There's no way I could ever get along with someone who thinks like that.

We arrive at the pitch rather early but to my surprise there's already a big crowd gathering. I spot some familiar faces but there's just one standing out for me. Wayne Hopkins is trying to catch my eye and is making his way over to where I'm standing next to Granger.

"I'll go save us a spot," She tells me before disappearing.

I'm assuming she thinks she's doing me a favour by leaving me alone with Wayne.

"Hi," He says nonchalant though I can tell he's a little unsure about how I'll receive him.

"Hey."

I'm not mad anymore. He might have done something mean and selfish but he's got his heart in the right place. Besides, who am I to judge a person who's better than me?

"Euhm… everything you said the other day at Hogsmeade was true. I am sorry for acting like such a douche bag! I had no right to-"

"It's okay," I interrupt him.

"It is?" He frowns.

"Yeah, though you are right when you say you should be sorry. But I accept your apology and just kind of want to leave the whole thing behind me."

"Really?"

"Yes!"

"So… we're cool?"

I nod.

"Friends?"

"Of course," I smile.

I have found a good friend in Wayne. Even though the Weasley twins and Lee are fun to hang out with, I can't talk to them the way I can with Wayne. And with Noa still ignoring my very existence, I need someone like him.

"Friends who give each other advice about girls they can't have?"

I also kind of pity him. I myself have never experienced an unrequited love so far but from what I can tell, it's not very pleasant.

"Maybe later?"

"Yeah, of course. Thanks, Danny," He sighs relieved and leaves to join his friends after saying goodbye.

In the group of Hufflepuffs going up one of the towers surrounding the Quidditch pitch, I see another very familiar face. But just like every time I've crossed paths with him this past week, he's pretending not to see him.

For some reason the fact that Cedric Diggory has been ignoring me, really aggravates me. I'm the ignorer, not the ignored! What makes it even worse, is that I have no idea what I did to make Diggory give me the silent treatment. But I'm sick of wondering what it can be, I'm just going to ask him straight up.

I pretend that I'm not just marching in the group of all the popular seventh years and just grab Cedric Diggory's arm and pull him with me to a safer distance.

"Why are you ignoring me?!"

I never did like beating around the bush.

Diggory looks bewildered at me at first but then he gets that blank look on his face that he's worn every time he's seen me for the past few days.

"I am not ignoring you," He says in a monotone voice that does not suit him at all. "I simply haven't been paying attention to you."

"I don't see the difference," I huff.

"What do you want, Potter?" He sighs. "At first I seek up your company, yet you're completely rude and spiteful to me. I leave you alone and you're still not happy. What do you want?"

I'm silent. What do I want? I don't know.

"You asked me to back off and I have. I'm doing what you asked me to do."

"Oh… well, thank you… for doing what I apparently want you to do," I say slowly.

"Was that all?" He asks me coldly.

"I guess…"

He nods and turns around to go join his friends again.

That did not solve anything!

After shaking my head a few times, I give up and go find Granger so we can finally watch the Quidditch team. She saved me a seat like she said she would. I sit down next to her silently though apparently looking a big gloomy according to her.

"Is everything okay? You look a bit sullen."

"I'm fine," I mutter though I'm sure I'm not convincing anyone.

I am saved from the stressed silence between the two of us when Lee's voice rings over the field to announce the start of the game. He introduces both teams though everyone already knows who they are. Madame Hooch blows the whistle and the game begins.

For a good five minutes it seems like both teams are equally good though Gryffindor has already scored once and Slytherin hasn't yet. It seems like our team has the upper hand for now but then we hear a noise coming from the Slytherin stands. It's as if they're chanting something in unison. I can see Granger frown in worry so I'm guessing she has a better idea of what's going on.

"What are they saying?" I turn to her.

"Weasley is our king."

What? That doesn't make any sense. They should be hating his guts, not praising him. But the louder the voices go, the more I understand they're not exactly praising him.

'_Weasley cannot save a thing,_

_He cannot block a single ring,_

_That's why Slytherins sing:_

_Weasley is our King.'_

"I'm guessing this isn't good?"

Granger just nods.

'_Weasley was born in a bin_

_He always lets the Quaffle in_

_Weasley will make sure we win_

_Weasley is our King._

I can tell it's having the desired effect. It's easy to spot the difference in Weasley since the song has started. He looks even paler than before and he seems incredibly uncomfortable on his broom as if he's afraid to fall. And then a Slythin approaches with the Quaffle tucked under his arm. Fred and George still try to send the bludgers after him but he easily dodges them. Weasley awkwardly flails his arms in the air but it's almost too easy for the Slytherin to score.

"Slytherin scores. 10-10."

This is not going to end well.

Every time Slytherin scores, the chanting gets louder and louder to the point no one can ignore it anymore, least of all Weasley. The more Quaffles he lets in, the more Quaffles he'll let in. Even I am pitying the boy now and it's not something I am likely to do.

"We're going to lose," I sigh.

Granger has been watching the entire game with a look on her face that looks like she has to pee really desperately. She too seems to fear the outcome of the game.

"Hey!" I turn to her after trying to glare every member of the Slytherin house to death. "How good is your reducto aim?"

"What?" She frowns in confusion.

"Could you hit something that's, let's say, that far away?" I point towards the Slytherin stands.

"I can't blow up students!" She shrieks.

"Not students. Just like a bench or a flag pole, something that will make them stop singing."

"That's against the rules," She scolds me.

"As is picking on students the way they have during the entire game so far. Don't you want to get just a little even with them?" I ask her.

She's hesitating, I can tell she is. But in the end she just shakes her head.

"Fine!" I hiss before trying to push my way out of the Gryffindor crowd in the stands.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to make them stop singing."

I don't mind them picking on Weasley but it's going to cause the team to lose, I feel like it's my duty to interfere. He's not that bad a keeper, I know he isn't. But it's exactly the same as when I was trying to help with his training. The moment he gets self conscious about the whole thing, he sucks. The only way to fix it, is to eliminate the thing that's causing his distress, this time it being the stupid song.

I didn't really have a plan when I snuck into the Slytherin stands. I am standing right below their feet and I'm surprised their cheering hasn't made them go deaf themselves. The sound is almost unbearable. Who knew Slytherins could have so much enthusiasm?

I'm still thinking of the right spell to use since I'm still not that sure about my reducto skills when I suddenly hear Lee's voice booming over the field.

"And Potter is hit by the bludger."

My heart stops for a moment. Why am I under the stands right now?! I can't see what's going on!

"He flies off his broom, and - Auw, that's go to hurt – falls to the ground. But wait… He has the snitch! Potter caught the snitch! Gryffindor wins!"

We won? We won! No need to hex the Slytherins anymore. Without doing anything else, I leave to go join Harry on the field. However, when I finally get there after I had to push through so many people, I don't find the happy victory scene I had been anticipating. Instead I find Draco Malfoy with a black eye and a busted lip that's somehow still able to wear a vindictive grin.

"What happened?" I ask and Angelina Johnson actually sighs when she sees me standing behind the entire Gryffindor Quidditch Team. Well, not the entire tam, Harry as well as George seem to be missing.

"What's going on?" I repeat when I notice three members of the team trying to cool Fred down who has a terribly angry expression on his face.

"Malfoy said something," Angelina sighs.

"I figured."

"He… insulted their mothers."

He insulted Mrs. Weasley? Well, that explains why George, who is most likely the one who tried to rearrange Malfoy's face, isn't here right now and why people are having a hard time trying to calm Fred down. But then why isn't Harry here?

Wait,… Angelina said mothers, right? Plural? Did that scumbag say something about my mom as well?

"What did he say?" I glare at the white-haired boy who's making his way back to the changing rooms while trying to gain pity by limping pathetically exaggerated.

But Angelina nor anyone else from the team seems to be willing to repeat the words that apparently send both Harry and George into a frenzy.

"He called your mother a mudblood, said the stink of our home must remind Harry of her," Fred said through gritted teeth.

I feel an anger boiling up inside of me that I'm very familiar with by now. It rears its head every time someone says something bad about Harry and it goes without saying that it also counts for every other member of my family.

"I'm going to kill him!" I growl in anger.

"Please, don't!" Angelina tries to stop me. "Enough trouble has been created for today. Please, just do the sensible thing and don't follow Harry in his predicament."

I really do want to hurt Malfoy, more than anything but she's right. Doing the exact same thing my brother has done, won't help Harry one bit. Besides, I can still get back at Malfoy any other moment.

"Where's Harry?" I turn back towards the team.

"Madame Hooch send him and George to McGonagall's office."

Well, what's the worst that could happen to him? Surely all McGonagall can do to punish him is give him weeks of detention. He's got experience in surviving that. He'll be okay.

Of course none of us could possibly have foreseen that Educational Decree Number 25 was going to mess all of that up. Umbridge now has the power to punish the students any way she pleases. Which in this particular case means she can ban Harry and the twins from Quidditch for life and she did.

"Banned?" Angelina repeats again in disbelief.

I've heard stories about wild parties in the Gryffindor common room whenever the team had won a game but even though they've won today, there is nothing cheerful about the atmosphere here.

"For life," Harry sighs miserably.

"Why me as well?" Fred huffs angrily. "I didn't even do anything. At least I should have gotten the chance to pummel his ass if I'm getting the punishment."

"No seeker and no beaters," Angelina moans in misery. "How can we possibly win the cup now?"

That wasn't really my main concern. Not that it didn't matter but the fact that my brother would never again be able to play the game he loves with all his heart had me a little more worried. Umbridge even confiscated their brooms!

I'm guessing Harry eventually didn't want to see the disappointed and angry faces of his team mates and house members anymore and went up to his dorm. I haven't seen Weasley at all since the game so I'm guessing they're probably going to have a little chat up there now.

The next morning I have to drag myself to the Great Hall for breakfast. I had a terrible night sleep. I dreamed about Umbridge coming up with even more ridiculous decrees including one that said black curly hair was forbidden in the school and she shaved off my head. Just thinking about it gives me the chills once again.

"I have a solution."

I was barely awake when Angelina sat down in front of me at the table and demanded my attention with her rather annoyingly loud voice.

"Huh?... What?" I mumble.

"I know what we have to do so we can still have a chance at winning the cup this year even though we just lost the best seeker and beaters this team has ever had."

"And you're telling me because…" I yawn.

"Because you're the solution. You're going to be our new seeker," She beams.

She snapped me out of my barely awake state. What kind of solution is that?

"What?!"

"You wanted to try out for the team at the beginning of the year, right? And Harry told me that you're just as good as him."

He might have exaggerated there a little. I'm not bad and yes, I might have out flown him a few times before but there's no way I'm as good as him in the position of Seeker. Besides, I'm a Chaser.

"So what do you say?"

"No."

I wanted to be a part of the team but not like this. Not because three great members got kicked off. Plus, it just doesn't feel right taking Harry's place. Like I'm robbing him of one of the only things he still has left.

"What?!" She asks me dumbfounded. "Why not?! You like Quidditch as well and without a proper seeker we're doomed."

"I don't want Harry's spot," I tell her loud and clear before making my way over to my first class of the day.

She doesn't leave it that. She tries to corner me again at lunch and decides to play dirty at dinner.

"We've found two new beaters," Angelina says while sitting down next to Fred and George, in front of me, Harry, Granger and Weasley.

"How great," Fred grumbles sarcastically and I'm sure the angry muttering that comes from George is something along those lines as well.

See, I don't want Harry to feel like that.

"Now if only we could find a good seeker, " She gives me a pointed look.

"I'm sure you'll manage to find one," I smile back sweetly.

"Uh," She sighs annoyed while throwing down her spoon. "Harry, please convince your sister that the only way we can win the cup this year is if she takes up the position of seeker!"

Harry snaps his head in my direction and looks at me with big bulging eyes.

"She asked you to be the new seeker?"

"I'm sure she's got nothing on you, of course," Angelina says to Harry. "But as we can't have you…"

Don't make him feel guiltier about it than he already does!

"Jeez, you really do know how to persuade a person," I say with a tone dripping with bitter sarcasm.

"That's great," Harry forces an awkward smile. Like hell he thinks it's great.

"I said no," I tell him.

"What? Why?"

"I'm not a seeker," I shrug.

"But the team is depending on you!" Angelina exclaims desperately.

"Find someone else to depend on."

Like I expected, Harry doesn't try to persuade me into accepting the position on the team. Why? Because what is Harry's isn't in my right to take and vice versa. I'd be pretty pissed if suddenly someone asked Harry to create a potion for him or prank someone. That's my territory and if we want to maintain our good relationship, crossing the line is not allowed. The part of seeker is something that can only belong to Harry out of the two of us. I'm aware that might not make much sense to an outsider like Angelina but it's worked so far for the both of us.

"Why did you refuse?" Granger brings up the subject again during another DA meeting.

"Because," I simply say while keeping my attention on perfecting my charm.

"But you were really upset when you didn't make the team before," How the hell does she know what I look like upset?! She doesn't know me. "And now you're given the opportunity to join the team you desperately wanted to be a part of before and you so simply dismiss it."

I think I know the girl well enough by now to understand that she won't shut up until she gets a proper answer. Since I still have to practice for the rest of the hour, I'll just do that.

"Because Harry and I have a very sensitive balance between the two of us and I would never do anything to disrupt that."

"You think Harry would be upset if you accepted it? Of course not! Harry is-"

"I don't need you to tell me what kind of a person my brother is!" I hiss coldly at her. "I know him way better than you ever will so don't lecture me on my choices concerning him."

I'm getting so tired of always hearing her claim she understands everything so much better, especially when she says that something is my brother's character. Fine, they're close friends but I'm his sister and blood always trumps know-it-all friends.

But without realising it, I had already done something that would soon disrupt the peaceful relationship I had with my brother that I've always valued so much.

It was exactly one week after the Quidditch game that had ended so badly for us. I had finally fixed the potion I had used on Weasley so the person affected wouldn't act like a stalker but just be easily manipulated by me, the way I had originally intended for it to be. It didn't need testing again, that's how sure I am of the success of it. Today is the day I will use it on my first victim : prefect Cyril Meakin. He would be an easy target because he's already so easily manipulated by me.

But when I enter the Room of Requirement to retrieve the potion, I am shocked to find a different scenery than I am used to. Sure, the cauldrons and ingredients were right where I left them but I'm pretty sure the room didn't use to have Harry, Granger and Weasley in it.

"Uh…?"

Maybe they expect me to say something but what am I supposed to come up with? 'Busted?'?

"I told you she was up to something!" Granger angrily turns towards Harry.

"Up to something?" Weasley shrieks. "That's a huge understatement! She tried to poison me, she used me as her personal lab rat and then she tried to erase my memories!"

"I'm guessing that was unsuccessful?" I try.

It had looked pretty effective to me.

"Oh, this must be a real thorn in your eye," Weasley grins as if he's just achieved victory. "After one week, the memories returned gradually."

I knew I couldn't possibly have pulled off a successive obliteration charm at my first try.

"Well, that is a bummer," I sigh.

"Aren't you going to apologise?" Granger asks me.

"For what?"

"For what you did to Ron! Do you have any idea how dangerous it was to give him a concoction you made yourself?!"

"Oh, please," I huff. "It's not like there was anything toxic in it. Plus, it's his own damn fault for taking the potion meant for Neville."

The three of them stare at me as if I am speaking gibberish. I think I'm still speaking English though.

"Please tell me you realise you've done something wrong," Harry eventually says.

Depends on the definition of wrong. Fine, I broke some rules here and there but I did it for all the right reasons. It doesn't mean I'm wrong.

"I didn't. I know I may have chosen an approach you wouldn't have but that's exactly the reason I didn't tell you."

"The fact that you hid it from us makes it even worse."

"I'm sorry but who is this 'us' you refer to?" I say annoyed to Harry. "As far as I know I've never had to explain myself to your two sidekicks."

"Fine, just me then. Tell me why you did it."

"Why do you think? For the same reason I do anything."

"Because you're a pain in the butt?" Weasley guessed.

"Because you like being in control of people?"

He says it with a straight face. It's not a joke like Weasley's was but Harry actually thinks I'm that kind of person.

"No! For you! Everything I've done so far has been for your sake!"

"I've never asked-"

"Because you're naïve! You think you'll survive in a world at the brink of war without breaking a few rules, without stepping over a few people."

"Don't use me as an excuse for this."

"It's not an excuse!" I'm shouting now.

"Danny-" Granger tries to once again butt in.

"Shut up!" I snap angrily at her.

"Don't yell at her because you got yourself in trouble once again!" Harry comes to her defence.

It's like a slap in the face. No, it's not quite like that, nor like having a bucket of ice cold water being thrown over my head. It's like he's stabbed me in the chest and for a moment I can't breathe.

"Ha," I laugh a soft but empty laughter. "It does trump blood."

"What?"

"Have it your way, Harry," I say before turning towards the door because I don't want him to see this weak expression on my face and know that he has that kind of power over me. "I won't do anything anymore for you. Let's see how long you'll survive in the cruel world I've been trying to protect you from."

The fact that he's not saying anything right now, means that's what he wants. For me to not be there for him. Fine, I won't.

"From this day forward you can count yourself as truly on your own."

I slam the door shut behind me.

_I know Malfoy doesn't actually call Lily Potter a mudblood in the book but I thought it needed something extra to really rile Harry up. I thought he lost his temper too easily in the book. _


	14. Being spiteful

_Hi,_

_I know, you must all be terribly confused right now. Another update? Within a week? Yes, it is. I was just so excited about this chapter I just had to share it with you. Plus, last chapter got more reviews than usually so this is my thank you to you._

_I'm pretty fond of this chapter so it would mean a lot if you could tell me what you think of it._

_And thank you __**Just Another Aceves, avengeme, Chelsealolz3, xXMizz Alec VolturiXx, Prettylittleliarxxx, swimmergirl22, On Roempsos **__and __**a person**__ for reviewing ;)_

_Ha, I don't know what you think about a fight between Harry and Danny but I can tell you it's rather entertaining to write. I also felt like it was necessary, that bomb was just destined to burst soon._

Chapter 14

I'm stomping through the empty hallways of Hogwarts with angry strides. But even more so than angry, I'm hurt. Everything that just happened in that room is exactly what I've always feared. To finally have proof that I don't mean to Harry what he means to me. Not even close.

I don't want to give him the satisfaction to cry, even if he can't see it. But while I'm raging through the castle, I can't help but feel the need to weep come over me.

I don't have the map with me right now and I am in no way in the mood to look at it. That's why I didn't see the body coming that I slam into when I round the corner.

"Danny?"

I don't stop to hear whatever this voice has to say. I just want to leave and wallow away in self pity. I've got a lifetime supply of that.

But the person won't let me go. He grabs my hand and turns me around so I have no other choice but to look at him.

"What's wrong?" Cedric Diggory's kind and patient face looks down at me.

I don't want to tell him. I really don't but that worried expression is exactly the kind of thing I had wanted to see moments ago but in Harry's eyes. Why is it never Harry who cares?

"I… " I swallow. "I am nothing."

I mean nothing to Harry.

Even though I had every intention to not cry, I can't stop my bottom lip from quivering and my eyes from tearing.

"What?" He frowns.

"I don't matter." I sob without really wanting to.

I want to stop but I can't. Sobs and whimpers are wrecking my body down until I'm nothing more but a quivering mess.

"He doesn't care." I cry.

I must not be making sense to him, there's no way he can understand what I'm snivelling about. But even so, he listens. And he doesn't have that cold look in his eyes anymore. Instead he looks at me with understanding and empathy. And then he does the one thing that makes me cry and sob and be downright pathetic even more. He wraps me in his arms and pulls me into his warm cocoon of comfort.

Over the miserable sounds that I'm making, I can feel his heart beating in my ears. It's soft yet very present at the same time. And my heart that has been racing in agony slows down to his pace. It comforts me. It soothes me. It makes me feel as though at least one person in the whole world gives a shit.

When I've finally stopped crying long enough to realise I'm rubbing my snot all over his shirt, I gently pull out of his embrace.

"I'm sorry." I try to smile but it comes out all miserable and toothachy.

"For what?" He smiles down gently at me which my sorry excuse of a smile kind of pales to in comparison.

"For snivelling all over your pretty Head Boy badge." I hiccup.

"That doesn't matter."

He's looking at me with such a kind and gentle expression, it makes me wonder what the hell I ever did to get him to look at me like that.

"Now, will you please tell me who's the idiot that doesn't care? Wayne Hopkins?"

I'm still too upset to ask myself what and how Cedric Diggory knows about Wayne.

"No, Harry."

"Always Harry, huh?"

"Yeah, just never the other way around." I sniff.

"What do you mean?" He frowns.

"I changed schools for him. I left all my friends behind so I could be here with him. And I hate it here but I still came. And he can't even manage to trust me. And somehow things always end up with him choosing his friends over me. Always."

True. Just look at what happened last year. I obviously wasn't more important than his friends since it was Weasley at the bottom of the lake and not me. But maybe I wasn't just not more important than them, maybe I'm less important as well.

"You matter." He suddenly says.

"Huh?"

He gently grabs my face in both of his hands and wipes away the traces of tears.

"Before, you said you don't matter. You do. And Harry cares, an awful lot. I might not know exactly what you mean to him because the only one who does is him. But don't make such crazy assumption. Whatever you mean to him is exactly the opposite of nothing." He says.

How come Cedric always knows just what to say?

"Thank you." I whisper.

"You're welcome." He smiles. "Now, would you like me to walk you back to your common room? You only have half an hour left before curfew."

"Actually, I'm starving. I skipped lunch. And dinner."

As if to emphasize my point, my stomach chooses that moment to give out a loud pitiful growl.

"Clearly. But I'm afraid the Great Hall is already closed for dinner." He frowns.

"Are you telling me that the Head Boy has never gone to the kitchens before?" I smile slightly.

He hasn't but he makes no subjections when I suggest we break a few rules and go there. I think he's afraid I'll have another break down when he leaves me alone. Especially with a mountain of food nearby.

I have never actually been in the kitchens myself but I've studied the map enough to know where it is. And Fred and George told me how to enter it.

On our way to the kitchens we don't talk. I don't really feel like it. And I think he's somehow respecting that. We pass a mirror though and when I see my own reflection I wonder if maybe the reason he isn't talking to me is because he doesn't want to look at me. I look awful! My hair is sticking up and even messier than it usually is. I have huge bags under my eyes which are all puffy and red. I don't even want to look at me!

"Miss Potter!" A shrill voice gasps the second I set one foot in the kitchens.

I've never actually tried talking to a house elf besides Kreacher in uncle Sirius' cupboard so I kind of assumed all house elves were like him. Spiteful. Grouchy. Mean. But right now I was being surrounded by a dozen little creatures that all looked at me with blissful adoration. Not really used to this.

"Is Mister Potter with you as well?" The only house elf wearing clothes was trying to see around me as if expecting to find Harry there.

I'm guessing this one must be Dobby. The memory I have of him in Harry's room, trying to bang his head against the wall is kind of hazy. But I'm pretty sure it's the same crazy house elf.

"No, just me." I reply a little bitter.

"Is it too late to get something to eat?" Cedric suddenly says.

The second he mentions that we're here to get some food, the little creatures scramble to tables and pots and pans. Two of them push us down at a table in the middle of the kitchens. All the others keep bringing food to us until there is no more room on the giant table for it.

"I think that will be enough." Cedric says while eying the pile of food.

A giant wouldn't even be able to eat all of that.

The house elves almost seem to be a little disappointed that we're not able to digest piles of food.

"Well, Bon appétit." I say to Cedric before getting myself a serving of mashed potatoes.

We eat a lot. Well, I eat a lot because I was starving. I think Cedric's just taking a few bites because he doesn't want to be rude. But you can only have so many politeness bites and eventually he settles on just watching me eat.

"Why are you looking at me?" I say with a mouth full but he somehow seems to understand what I'm saying.

"You make everything so complicated." He sighs.

"I'm sorry?" I frown.

"I had made up my mind about you, you know?"

"Made up your mind? How?" I swallow.

"I actually made a list of pros and cons about you in my head."

"How girly of you." I snicker but apologise for it once he gives me a pointed look. "So, what? You couldn't come up with any pros?"

I myself am finding a hard time coming up with some myself lately. I thought the one good thing about me was the fact that no matter what I'd stick up for the people who matter to me but apparently that trait isn't much appreciated either.

"I had no problem finding those." He smiles, almost a little sad. "But I came up with one really big con, the one that got me convinced it would be better for me to just stay away from you."

"So you were avoiding me!" I aha-ed.

"Danny…" He sighs.

"Okay, right. Sorry. Then what is this really big con?"

I'm mean? I'm rude? I break an awful lot of rules and occasionally some laws? I don't take responsibility for my actions (according to some people)? Did he really only come up with one?

"You're kind of cold."

What?

"You're not an ice queen or anything but you're so damn unreadable and I never have any idea what you think or feel. For a moment I even wondered if you do feel at all."

Ouch.

"That is a pretty big con." I whisper.

"But then I ran into you tonight. Just minutes ago you were overflowing with emotions. And you've never been more beautiful to me."

Really? Beautiful? When I look like crap?

"And now I have to come up with a new negative thing to convince me of the fact that I shouldn't want you." He sighs.

I don't really know what to say. This sounds an awful lot like a love confession. Even though I'm am grateful for what Cedric has done for me today, I don't feel that way about him. And he knows that, right?

"I say whatever is on my mind, inconsiderate of other people's feelings. I am competitive. I'm proud that I'm good at manipulating people. Take your pick. There are still a lot of cons left."

"I know that. Nobody's perfect. But you blabbing out whatever you think and you being competitive, those are things on the pro side."

"… I'm sure we can come up with something new." I eventually say.

All I have to do is ask anyone else in this castle. Granger, Weasley, Harry. I'm sure they can come up with an entire list.

"I think I've got one."

"Really?"

I know I was just thinking of some as well but the fact that he came up with a negative point about me that quickly kind of gives me a really unpleasant feeling in my gut. I don't think I want him to have anything negative about me.

"It's not really something about your character. It appears to only be the case in my presence. You run both hot and cold. One moment you don't seem to mind spending some time with me and the next you can't run away from me fast enough. I have no idea whether you like me or hate me. It's tiresome trying to figure that out."

I guess he has a point there. But the truth is I myself haven't quite figured out yet what I think of him. Do I think he's on okay guy? Or am I unable to stand his guts? I don't know.

"Can't it be something in between?" I ask him.

"Like what?"

"… I care. About you. I do. But I don't think you want to hear that because that's where it ends. It's nothing more than that. Or less."

I do care about him. And maybe another girl in my situation would do a lot more than that but I don't think I can. I feel as if there is a wall in between us and even if I wanted to break it down, I don't think I am able to.

"You care?"

I nod.

"I matter?"

I let out a little laugh. But him using the words that meant so much to me half an hour ago means that this is just as important to him as Harry thinking I matter is to me.

"Yes."

"Well, that's enough." He smiles at me. "For now."

He eventually walks me back to my common room. We walk in silence but it's not awkward. You'd figure it would be after the talk we just had. But somehow it feels as if that makes it easier to be around him.

"Thank you." I turn to him when we make it to the portrait. "I kind of just wanted to run away when you grabbed my hand but talking to you helped a lot more than running away does."

He gives me another brilliant smile before heading back to his own common room.

When I tell the Fat Lady the password and she swings open, I come across an almost empty common room. I'm relieved to see neither Harry nor his friends are here. I really don't want to face any of them right now. I drag myself up to my own dorm where all the other girls are already sleeping. Tomorrow is going to be a very long day.

I've made it my mission to make Harry see just how much needs me. Because he does need me, he just doesn't know it because I've never made him realise it. From now on I won't do a single thing to make his life easier, in fact I'm going to make it just a little harder. The things I didn't do in the past because it would have hurt or upset or angered Harry? I'm going to do them all now. Starting by taking the spot on the team I rejected for him.

I find Angelina in the library because I followed her dot on the map there. I sit down across from her and cough loud enough that she has no other choice but to pay me attention.

"What?" She snaps.

I know I'm not her favourite person right now but I'm about to become it.

"Have you found a seeker yet?"

"I was thinking about asking Collin Creevey as a chaser and ask Ginny to become seeker. Unless of course someone has changed her mind…"

"I have." I say.

"Really?" She shoots up. "What about the whole 'I don't want Harry's spot'?"

"I do want Harry's spot."

"Are you two in a fight or something?" She frowns. "And are you taking the spot just to spite him?"

"Maybe, but that doesn't change the fact that I'm willing to be the seeker on your team."

She has to think about it for a while. Probably outweighing the benefits of accepting me in her team and the downside of it, mainly probably getting Harry angry with her.

"Okay, deal." She puts out her hand that I am more than willing to shake.

That makes one.

I only come across Harry during our potions class. He seems to be in doubt whether to approach me or to just leave me alone. I think I've made it very clear what the best option is by glaring at him. I hear him talking in the back with Granger and Weasley though and I'd say, by the fact that they keep occasionally casting looks in my direction, I'm the main subject of the conversation. Whatever, see if I care.

I could ignore his presence during classes, but it would be a hell of a lot harder during the DA meetings. And unfortunately for me there's one tonight. I could just not go but I've decided to only do things now because I want to do them. And even though I went along with the whole thing at first to support Harry, I actually do want to learn all the things he's planning on teaching us. Plus, this is kind of a golden opportunity to show him how inconsiderate I'm going to be towards him from now on.

And I've come up with number two to spite him.

I caught up with Cedric Diggory before he entered the Great Hall.

"Hey." I pant out since I ran down the stairs, hoping to talk to him before he sits down at his own table. There's no way I'm once again butting into his group of friends and fans.

"Hi." He seems surprised that I'm willingly talking to him for a reason other than accusing him of being a dick.

He has every right to be surprised. But even though last night didn't change anything about my feelings, I like to think it did change something between the two of us. Just not sure what exactly.

"So, what do you think about Umbridge?" I suddenly ask him.

"What?" He frowns.

"It's a simple question. What's your opinion about her? Do you think she's the most wonderful Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher this school has ever seen or is your opinion a little closer to reality?"

"I guess it's safe to assume you don't like her?"

I give him a clear look that basically says 'Duh!'.

"Well, I'm not too big a fan of her either. I'm graduating this year yet I haven't done any spells in her classes so far and I'm afraid I'll be long gone from here once she starts realising we actually need to practice things. That is of course assuming I'll pass my N.E.W.T.S which I probably won't since there's no way I can simply put theory in action without doing the spell even once beforehand." He sighs annoyed at the woman I've come to really hate.

"Perfect." I grin.

"I'm almost afraid to ask, but why did you want to know that?"

"I know you're Head Boy and all but how do you feel about breaking the rules in favour of getting a good education?"

He doesn't immediately shoot me down the way I have to admit I thought he would. Instead he seems rather curious. Of course, since this is his last year at Hogwarts, there's even more at stake for him than for the others.

I'm just about to tell them everything there is to know about the DA when I realise something really important. I can't tell him. I mean I could but then my facial complexion would redefine acne. Those are Granger's exact words.

"I… can't tell you."

"What? Then why ask me all these things if you don't want to tell me in the first place?"

"No, I do want to tell you. I mean I literally can't because there's a spell involved and all."

But maybe I don't have to tell him.

'But I can show you." I grin.

"Now?"

"No, after dinner. Meet me before the painting of the shrieking banshees."

He seems a bit hesitant and for a good reason. Knowing me, he's probably expecting me to ask him for help cleaning a skeleton in my closet. Figure of speech of course.

"Okay." He eventually sighs.

I smile at him before entering the Great Hall to sit down for dinner next to Kayla.

What better way to piss off my brother than by bringing an outsider to a secret DA meeting? Especially when I know for a fact that Harry doesn't want him there. And I'm going to do it without bringing Granger's vicious spell upon me. That will tick her off as well.

But I'm not just doing it to spite people. I didn't ask Cedric in the beginning to join because I hated spending too much time with him in one room. What if, by not asking him because I was once again being spiteful, I robbed him of a great opportunity to improve his skills which he'll be needing since a war is about to break out. People may not know about it, but that doesn't mean it isn't coming.

"So, are you going to tell me now?" Cedric asks me once we meet up in front of the painting after dinner.

"I told you, I can't tell you. I'll show you." I beckon him to follow me.

"Can't you give me a hint? Right now I'm having really upsetting ideas in my head."

"It's nothing bad. I mean, it is breaking the rules but it's for something you could really use. You know?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about." He sighs exasperated.

"It's like when you have to ram a chaser in Quidditch. It's foul play but necessary to win the game." I try to explain it.

"We don't play dirty on the Hufflepuff team." He simply says.

"Well, maybe if you did, you'd actually win a match." I grin.

"Very funny." He grumbles.

We're almost on the seventh floor. It's still early so I'm guessing only Harry, Granger and Weasley will be there with maybe a few early birds. It's better this way. I don't want to throw Cedric out there unprepared against the entire DA.

"Can you promise me one thing?" I turn towards him when we're two feet away from the Room of Requirement. "Promise me that no matter what you decide about joining or not, you won't tell anyone about this."

"Join? Like some kind of club?" He asks.

"Please?" I am practically begging him.

"Fine." He sighs.

"And just be open-minded." I say before walking in front of the wall three times thinking about the DA meeting room.

"What are you doing?" He frowns.

But when he's about to open his mouth to repeat once again what the hell I'm doing, he stops. I'm guessing he's noticed the sudden door.

"What is that?" He points at it.

"Your ticket to education." I smile before entering.

I was right. Only Harry, Granger, Weasley, Neville and Luna Lovegood are here. The first three seem surprised that I actually showed up. They probably didn't expect me to go anywhere near them any time soon.

"Danny?" Harry says. "I didn't think you'd-"

He stops talking because he's noticed the guy standing behind me, looking at this room in amazement and confusion.

"What did you do!?" Granger shouts out.

"Aren't you the one who suggested I ask him?" I decide to play the innocent one as long as I can, not that it's believable of course.

"Months ago, yes! Not when we've already formed the DA! I can't believe you've told him about this! Now, everyone will know we've formed a secret and forbidden club against Umbridge where Harry teaches us Defence Against the Dark Arts!"

"Actually, I didn't tell him." I grin. "You just did. Which means I won't get hit with your little spell." I point towards the paper with our signatures on it, our pact. "But you will."

Her eyes go big once she realises she's in a little bit of trouble if I'm telling the truth. But for once I'm not lying.

"Wh-what?"

Bet she didn't think about that!

"So that's what this is? A group where you learn defence from Harry which is a direct violation of decree number twenty-three." Cedric says.

"N-no," Granger stutters. "This isn't like that at all!"

"Oh, please! If the books on defence and the big banner with 'Dumbledore's Army' didn't make him realise it yet, you telling him most certainly did." I say.

"This is all your fault!" She points an accusing finger at me.

"What exactly is my fault?" I ask. "As far as I know nothing bad has happened yet."

"Exactly! Yet! With you involved something's bound to go bad!" Weasley joins in as well.

Breathe in, breathe out. Nothing good will come of hexing both their arses.

"I won't tell anyone." Cedric interferes. "I promised Danny."

I have to smile at him for that.

"But I do want to join."

The golden duo looks at him in shock.

"You do?" Harry frowns.

"Yes. I still have so much to learn and I couldn't think of anyone better to teach me than you, Harry."

By the look on my brother's face, I'd say he's in. Besides, wasn't the motto of this club that anyone who wants to learn can join?

For the next ten minutes Harry explains to Cedric exactly what the DA is right after he signs his name under all the other ones. Sadly that means Granger won't get hit with acne since he's officially a member now. The other people in the DA aren't too happy about that by the way.

"Why is he here?"

"How did he find this place?"

"Are we in trouble?"

"Cedric Diggory," Harry says." Is our newest DA member."

A lot of the other members are going in a uproar over that. I do get it. We're not supposed to bring in new members. If Harry doesn't make that clear, they're all going to bring strangers here. Diggory we can trust, but I'm not so sure about all the people the others might bring along.

But Harry doesn't make it clear. He just repeats that Cedric is now a part of the DA and immediately starts explaining what the Patronus charm does. Usually I would interfere and make it clear to everyone that new members are not allowed or at least tell Harry that he should be doing that but I'm not doing it now. He doesn't want my help and I'm secretly rooting for it coming back to bite him in the butt. So I keep my mouth shut and practise the stupid Patronus charm of which I already know I won't be able to master it since I've been trying to do so for two years now.

"So did you bring me here just to piss him off?" Cedric comes standing next to me.

"It's a really big bonus but maybe I also brought you here because you might need a place like this."

"What about you? What do you need?"

I need somebody on my side, now that I no longer am on Harry's. And unfortunately not too many people are willing to take the spot.

"I need…" I sigh. "to master this spell! How hard can it be to perform a simple Patronus charm?"

"You need some help with that?"

"Sure." I shrug.

The second the DA meeting ends, I bolt. I don't want to talk to Harry when he tries to corner me and I also don't want to be there when he doesn't even try to talk to me. This time Harry needs to be the one who tries to mend things because it can't always be me. Nothing will change if it's me.

I've abandoned the idea of the adoration potion as well. If Harry doesn't want me to help, I won't. Plus, when I went back during lunch, I noticed the entire room had been cleared. I guess those three didn't want to leave it the way they found it and take the change of me still using it anyway. It doesn't matter. I still have my notes and if the need may ever rise again, I know exactly how to make it.

"Danny?"

I'm surprised to find Harry talking to me the next evening in the common room. So far he hasn't made any attempt to approach me. I know for a fact that he found out I took up the position of Seeker but since he didn't approach me yesterday, I didn't expect him to do so today.

"Yes?" I look up from the book in my lap.

"I was wondering if-"

"We need the map." Weasley interferes.

I let out a humourless laugh. Of course he was only talking to me because he needed something.

"No." I reply coldly.

"What? But the map is Harry's as well and we need-"

"That sounds an awful lot like you're asking me for a favour." I ignore Weasley and turn to Harry. "But if I remember correctly you don't want any favours from me. So the answer is still no. Besides, what do you need it for anyway? A honourable student like yourself doesn't break any rules."

I shut my book with a loud bang and go up the stairs to my dorm.

The Christmas holidays will start in a few days and for the first time in years, I am not in the mood for it. It won't be really pleasant anyway the way things are between me and Harry right now. Oh, and right, we'll also be celebrating it with the Weasley's this year. Could it get any worse?

Nothing exciting happens for the following days. I work hard to finish all my papers in time before we leave the castle for Christmas. It isn't until a few days later that something happens that leaves me trembling on my feet.

It's the last night we'll spend at Hogwarts before returning home for Christmas. I lie awake in my bed for a very long time, going over my words. I have convinced my parents to let me stay at Charlotte's house in France for a few days for the holidays. I have missed all my friends and want to spend some time with them. But also, I want to see Noa and apologise to her in person. I'm sure she won't be able to stay angry for much longer when she can see me begging her on my knees. And I will most definitely be doing that.

Somehow I managed to fall into a slumber anyway. The dream started with Quidditch games, Thestrals trying to eat my Potions paper and Exploding Snaps. All in all not a bad dream but then it changed.

I was on the floor, slithering smoothly as if that was all I had ever done. I was different, I could feel it so clearly. Everything I saw was in an unusual spectrum. And then I saw a man. He was sitting on the floor, his back leaning against the wall and snoring slightly. I could smell him so clearly even though he was still a few feet away. And suddenly I was overcome with the urge to bite him which I fought because I was there for much more important work. But then the man stirred, got up on his feet and drew out his wand. I had no other choice but to strike and sink my fangs into his warm flesh several times, feeling the wonderful taste of his blood in my mouth. The man stumbled back and collapsed on the floor.

And then I shot up in my bed. Panting, shivering, sweating.

What the hell was that?!


	15. Christmas down the drain

_Thank you so much for your reviews __**avengeme, Just Another Aceves, swimmergirl22, xXMizz Alec VolturiXx **__and __**On Roempsis! **_

_The dream Danny had in the previous chapter was the one Harry was having as well. So she actually saw his dream because they have a freaking weird connection going on between the two of them._

Chapter 15

I can't stop my limbs from trembling. I'm not cold, not by a long shot. I am breaking out in a fever worse than I ever have before. I'm breathing out incredibly unevenly and no matter what, I am not able to stop my heart from beating against my ribcage like a wild animal trying to break out.

What was that?! It hadn't been an ordinary nightmare. I had never had a dream like that before. One so real it squeezes my insides in the most nauseating way.

I push the suffocating covers away and try to get up. But the moment I stand upright, my vision goes hazy and I am forced to sit back down before I collapse on the floor.

I am still breathing like I've just ran a marathon. It takes me several minutes of heavy gasping before I can try to get up again. I almost have to crawl all the way to the bathroom adjoining our dorm.

I feel like I can pass out any moment and actually sit down next to the toilet out of fear I'm only seconds away from hurling my guts out. I have never felt worse and from what? A dream? No, it feels like it was more than that. It didn't feel like a dream at all to me. Terrors like that just don't happen in my dreams, not even in my worst nightmares. My nightmares are about Harry dying and Noa hating my guts for all eternity.

Harry.

I don't have nightmares like that but I know about all the terrifying shit that shows up in Harry's. Was that his nightmare? I've never seen his dreams before and hell, I never saw through his eyes before. But he wasn't in trouble. The clenching feeling in my chest isn't there right now. But that doesn't mean it wasn't his dream. But why the hell would he be dreaming about something like that, seeing through the eyes of a snake? But Harry doesn't choose his dreams, they are send to him through his fucked up connection with Voldemort.

I can barely stand on my trembling legs but I still push myself up while clinging to the wall. I have to find Harry.

It's well past midnight so I'm rather confused when I find the expected abandoned common room filled with the Weasley kids.

"Miss Potter?" And McGonagall is here as well.

I can tell from all the looks on their faces that something serious is going on.

"Where's Harry?" I pant out.

"Miss Potter, I think it's better you return to your dorm. You look exhausted." McGonagall evades my question.

"What happened?" I turn to Fred and George to who Ginny is clinging like a little girl.

"Dad was attacked by a snake and apparently somehow Harry knew." Fred answers me.

I have been too absorbed by finding out the meaning of such a dream that I hadn't realised that the person in it was someone I know or that it might have been an actual event.

"It was real?" I whisper.

"What was that?" McGonagall demands.

"Nothing," I shake my head. "I'm coming with you."

Strangely enough she doesn't say otherwise, just nods and motions to the four of us to follow her. The Weasley siblings all look really pale and worried but I don't doubt the fact that I still look ten times worse. The sweat covering my body has cooled down now and sends unpleasant chills down my spine every ten seconds.

Finally we make it to the headmaster's office.

"Fizzing Wizzbee."

The gargoyle moves to make a stairway appear that by now is very familiar to me. We hear voices coming from behind the closed door and I just know Harry is in there.

"Ah, Minerva," Professor Dumbledore greets. "I see you've found the Weasley children. And Miss Potter?"

At the mention of my name the two boys sitting down in the chairs before the desk turn their heads around. Harry looks as bad as I'm feeling. He too is incredibly pale and his hair is sticking to his face due to cold sweat. He's trembling on his feet but there's something in his eyes that for a moment actually makes me doubt if Harry really is the only one in there.

"Are you feeling well?" Professor Dumbledore asks me, as if he already knows what just happened to me.

"Yes," I quiver. "Just a… nightmare."

Harry's eyes go big when I mention that I've suffered from a terrible nightmare as well. I can tell that he's contemplating whether or not I saw the same thing he did.

"Harry, what's going on?" Ginny interferes and before he can answer her, Dumbledore explains what has happened to Mr. Weasley.

Arthur Weasley has been admitted to St. Mungo's. We'll be going to the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix where some of the members are present right now, including our parents. We have to take a portkey since Umbridge is keeping an eye on the floos.

"One," Dumbledore counts down for us. "Two,"

I'm watching Harry looking at Dumbledore who seems to be avoiding his gaze. And I once again catch a glimpse in his eyes of something that is not entirely him and it frightens me. He looks like a snake, fighting the urge to lung at Dumbledore and kill him. That's not Harry.

"Three!"

I feel a tug behind my navel like I knew would happen but still throws me off. Especially when I'm already feeling queasy like this.

We land on the floor in the hallway with a loud thud. I scramble to my still wobbly feet and look at the three people standing in the door opening to the living room.

"What happened?" My mother asks once she pulls me and Harry close to her.

"Ask Harry." Ginny says.

"Yes, and I for one would also like to hear it." George pitches in.

We sit down in the living room where Harry tells everyone what he saw. I'm not listening, I already know what he saw anyway. But I still notice him leaving out some parts. He didn't just see it happen form the snake's perspective, he was the snake. I felt it too, he wanted to bite and maim Mr Weasley and he wanted to do the same thing in Dumbledore's office.

"You tired?" My dad looks at me in worry when Harry finished his story and we all just sit there, waiting in silence for news.

There is no way I can sleep right now but I don't want to stay any longer in this room. Honestly, I didn't want to be in the same room as this other version of Harry. And he keeps throwing me glances because he knows I know. I know there is a part of Harry that is not him, that is something much darker.

"Yes, exhausted. I'm sorry, I think I'm going to lie down."

I think the most appropriate thing to do was stay here with everyone else and wait for news on how Mr Weasley is doing, but I just couldn't. When I get up Harry does the same thing.

"Can I talk to you? Now?" He urges.

"No." I breathe out shivering and shake my head.

Before he can say anything else, I leave the room and close the door behind me.

"What was that?" I can hear uncle Sirius say.

I've never so obviously ignored Harry or denied him anything. Of course it would look weird to everyone else but I think Harry knows very well why I don't want to be around him right now.

"They're in a fight." Weasley says but that isn't the reason by a long shot.

It's only the next morning when I hear that Mr Weasley is no longer in a life-threatening situation though I don't think it sounds like everything's okay now. What's worse is that at the breakfast table Molly Weasley, as well as my parents and uncles keep telling Harry how fortunate it was that he had seen what had happened. Otherwise Mr Weasley never would have made it. But it didn't feel like it was very fortunate by the look on my brother's face.

"I'll be taking the kids to St. Mungo's today. I'm sure it would mean a lot to Arthur if you accompanied us, Harry." Mrs Weasley said to him.

"Oh… euhm… I'm not sure. I don't want to intrude." He manages eventually to say.

"Don't be silly. You're the hero, of course you won't be intruding. In fact I insist you come." Mrs Weasley is persistent.

Eventually he gives in and he and the whole Weasley bunch leave to go visit the patient. I'm glad I don't have to accompany them, it's already bad enough we're staying in this house during the entire Christmas holidays since it's really close to the hospital.

"Well, I've got to go to work." My dad says and leaves, my mother soon following.

"Me and Remus have been cleaning up the library. Want to help, Danny-girl?" Sirius asks.

I shrug. It's not like I have anything else to do.

I like spending time with my two uncles. Sirius likes to joke every once in a while and sometimes says he's like a second father to me, which he isn't since that's been completely covered by James Potter. But the two of them are most definitely an irreplaceable part of my family.

"So how have you been liking Hogwarts so far?"

"It's not bad." I shrug.

I can tell the two of them are exchanging some looks between each other but I don't really care. What's the point in telling them I like Hogwarts? I don't. So far I've really regretted the choice I made to change schools but on the other hand, could I really have let Harry leave for Hogwarts knowing I wouldn't be around to keep an eye on things? No, but see where that got me.

"What's wrong?" Remus asks me gently.

"I miss Beauxbatons." I admit honestly. "And I miss friends, and I miss the careless feeling I had there. And I miss Harry."

"What?" They both frown. "But you see him every day."

True, but I meant the Harry I knew, the one I grew up with and the one whose every move I was able to predict. I don't know where he went.

"Yeah," I sigh.

"Danny?" Remus says. "It's not too late to change your mind."

"What do you mean?" I ask him in confusion.

"If you miss Beauxbatons and you don't like Hogwarts, then why don't you ask James and Lily to transfer back to your old school?"

I look at him with big eyes. Can I? I haven't really thought about that, mostly because up until now it's been out of the question. But now Harry and I don't talk and I said so myself that I won't do anything for his sake anymore. And hadn't this whole transfer thing been for his sake in the first place? Besides, I think it's about time that I admit to myself that Harry won't make an attempt to mend things. Then what do I have left to stay for?

"I think…" I begin." … I'll think about that. Just don't tell anyone yet, please?"

They nod and I know they'll keep their word. I trust them that they care enough about me not to tell Harry or my parents of what's been going on in my mind.

But even if I don't intend to say it out loud, it's rooted in my brain, the possibility of going back to the way things were, to roam the hallways of Beauxbatons again with Noa and all my other friends back on my side. That is something I really yearn for. But going back, means giving up on Harry and once I do that we'll never be able to mend things. Am I really ready to give up on that?

The Weasleys and Harry return in the afternoon, all seemingly reassured of the fact that the head of the family is going to be okay. But as it turns out it's merely a façade. At the next opportunity Fred and George grab me and push me into the empty office that used to belong to Orion Black, Sirius' father.

"Ouch, what are you being so harsh for? You never learned how to treat a lady?" I grumble.

Fred is actually opening his mouth to tell me that he doesn't see a lady but George shuts him up. They're being serious?! What's going on?

"Moody was also in the hospital today and he wanted to talk to mom and dad. Alone."

"Well, we all know you guys aren't ready for adult conversations."

"But we always carry around Extendable Ears." George simply continues.

"Good for you." I cross my arms in front of my chest, wondering where the hell this conversation is going and why they're telling me this very uninteresting story.

"So we overheard the conversation and guess what Moody said?"

"What?" I ask.

"He thinks, as does Dumbledore apparently, that the reason Harry was able to see what happened to dad in his dream, is because he's being possessed by Voldemort."

The blood is practically frozen in my veins and for a moment my breathing seems to stop. What? Possessed? Harry? I mean, I've thought about all kinds of options once I saw something in his eyes that doesn't belong there but not in a million years did I think about possession.

"Possessed?" I repeat what they've just said to me.

It…makes…sense. It shouldn't, but it does. It would certainly explain some things. For once: the dream and the way he was able to see and feel everything through the snake's eyes, Voldmort's snake. Or why he doesn't seem like completely Harry to me anymore. Not the mention the way he's always been able to sense Voldemort's moods. And if it's what Dumbledore believes as well, then that would explain why he has been avoiding Harry the entire year. It makes sense!

"Why are you telling me this?" I eventually ask the twins.

"Because you're his sister. You know Harry better than anyone else."

I don't think anyone ever truly knows Harry.

"I don't know him." I say before leaving them alone in the office.

The tension at the dinner table is so palpable it even makes Kreacher uncomfortable. Every adult is probably aware of Moody's theory and every teenager now knows as well. The fact that Harry has locked himself in his room since they've returned isn't really helping.

"Danny," Bill Weasley, who apparently will be staying here as well, addresses me. "I heard you're going to France for a few days. When will you be leaving?"

The reminder that I'll see my friends soon and will finally be able to mend things with Noa, brings a soft smile to my face.

"Right after Christmas."

"Have you arranged everything with Charlotte's parents?" My mom asks.

"Yes." I sigh annoyed.

"I still don't understand why you don't want to stay at Noa's place. At least we know her mother. Now we're practically sending you off to stay with strangers." My mother mutters very loudly to make sure I can hear every word.

"I told you, mom, Noa is gone for the Christmas holidays." I repeat the lie I've told her before.

I don't like lying to my parents but this is something that really doesn't concern them. I also didn't tell them at first because I actually thought Noa wouldn't be able to ignore me for this long. Obviously I was wrong.

The next morning everyone's is so busy putting up Christmas decorations all over the house until it looks like Santa barfed all over the place, that nobody seems to notice Harry's aloofness. I do. I always do.

An (unpleasant) surprise comes when Hermione Granger enters the house 48 hours later. I'm sure that by now she has heard what happened at the hospital and all since she abruptly returned from her ski trip with her parents. It is thanks to her presence that Harry finally comes out of his room. He, Weasley, Granger and Ginny are talking in the girls' room and I can't help but use my own Extendable Ear to listen in on their conversation.

"We wanted to talk to you, Harry," I can hear Ginny saying. "but as you've been hiding ever since we got back-"

"I didn't want anyone to talk to me." Harry says.

"Oh, really?" Weasley says sarcastically. "Is that why you've been standing outside Danny's door the past two nights? Because you _don't _want to talk?"

A smile creeps up my face as I hear this. I shouldn't be happy that Harry is shutting everyone off but the fact that he's made one feeble attempt to talk to me, makes me ridiculously happy and relieved.

"I don't want to talk to anyone!" Harry repeats, angry this time.

"Well, that's a bit stupid of you," Ginny's voice is raising now as well. "Seeing as you don't know anyone but me who's been possessed by You-Know-Who, and I can tell you how it feels."

That's true. I've forgotten about that and by the silence that follows her sentence, I can tell Harry had as well.

"I forgot." He admits.

"Lucky you." Is Ginny's cold reply.

I think I'm starting to like this girl. She doesn't put up with The Boy Who Lived's whims the way most people do.

"I'm sorry."

And she even got him to apologise to her. If only I knew how to make him do that.

"So, do you think I'm being possessed, then?"

"Well, can you remember everything you've been doing? She asks. "Are there big blank periods where you don't know what you've been up to?"

Is it very bad of me to wish for him to say yes? To tell her that the moment he told me to stop helping him was actually not really Harry? It probably is. And that would mean Harry is really being possessed so let's just hope the answer is indeed no.

"No."

"Then You-Know-Who hasn't ever possessed you. When he did it to me, I couldn't remember what I'd been doing for hours at a time. I'd find myself somewhere and not know how I got there."

"That dream I had about your dad and the snake, though-"

"Harry, you've had dreams before," I recognise Granger's voice. "You had flashes of what Voldemort was up to last year."

But that was nothing like this dream.

"This was different," He says. "I was inside that snake. It was like I was the snake… What if Voldemort somehow transported me to London?"

That's what he's been worried about? That's bullocks! Even I know you can't just Apparate and Disapparate at Hogwarts. After Granger clearly explains to him that it is not possible and Weasley tells him he saw him in his bed, Harry seems to finally give up on the idea that he might be possessed. If only I could be convinced as well.

During the days leading up to Christmas Harry makes a visible effort to not be gloomy. I don't know whether to think of it as fake or admirable. What I do know is that it gives me time to think about what Remus and Sirius said. Harry's friends had been able to cheer him up this time and I had nothing to do with it. Maybe my absence at Hogwarts won't change anything for him. Maybe things can really go back to the way they were.

Gifts were exchanged, stomachs were filled and before I knew it, it was the day I would leave for France. I was extremely excited about it but I seemed to be the only one. Mom was still very suspicious of these people she didn't know. Even though I am aware it comes from her motherly protective instincts, it's kind of annoying. My dad and Sirius were disappointed that we wouldn't be able to play a Quidditch game the way we used to do on Christmas since it had been dreadful weather on the 25th.

"Well, later." I grin before stepping into the floo and calling out Charlotte's address.

As all kinds of fireplaces spin around me, too fast for me to really see anything, I feel nervousness rooting itself in the pit of my stomach. I've decided for myself to go see Noa as soon as possible. There was no use in postponing it any longer. I wanted my friend back and I was not taking no as an answer.

Finally, after what seemed like several hours but was probably only minutes, my surroundings stop spinning and I tumble out of Charlotte's fireplace.

"_Danny!"_ I'm tackled to the ground once again before I can even attempt to get back on my feet.

"_Hi, Charlotte. Long time no see, huh."_

"_And whose fault is that?"_ She pulls away and gives me an accusing look.

Of course I'm not as gullible to think Noa is the only I will have to answer to about my sudden departure. I'm guessing I'll have to defend the choice I made at the end of last year an awful lot of times.

"_I know."_ I sigh. _"You can hate me for it all you want."_

"_I don't hate you, Danny. I miss you. Things haven't been the same at school at all! I have to do every prank on my own nowadays since rumour has it you didn't leave school on your own choice but you were kicked off because you had been caught one too many times."_

"_That's not true!"_

"_I know! That's what I keep telling everyone but they're all a bunch of wimps."_ She huffs.

Charlotte had been my partner in crime at Beauxbatons because most people were indeed a little too scared of the Headmistress to do anything and I felt too guilty to drag Noa into my mischievous plans. My poor friend must have been bored out of her mind.

"_Well, doesn't matter now."_ She smiled. _"Because you're here for seven days now and we're going to make every minute count. You've got five minutes to unpack."_

My objections, saying that I needed at least twenty minutes to unpack, were futile. She shoved me up the stairs and demanded me to be back downstairs in exactly five minutes. I don't think I've ever unpacked that quickly. You have to understand one thing. People say I'm scary when I'm angry. Well, I'm nothing compared to a pissed off Charlotte.

I've told Charlotte that I wanted to grab this opportunity to have a chat with Noa who, honestly, doesn't live very far from here. But Charlotte didn't keep that into account when she made her schedule for the next few days. We went to a Christmas

market, ice-skating, to the French equivalent of Diagon Alley where we met up with some of our friends but not Noa, to what she called the best restaurant in France that we can afford, to a total of four sleep-overs, to muggle Paris, to prank her two younger and annoying brothers, to a kick-ass New Year's Eve party, to a local Quidditch game and to every shop in France she thought was worth the while. There was just no time to meet up with Noa!

"_Wait, Charlotte."_ I stop her when she's once again about to drag me out of the house to go God knows where.

"_What is it? Did you forget something?"_

"_No, but you did. I told you I wanted to talk to Noa but so far you haven't given me one possible moment where I could do that."_

"_She will still be there when we come back. Now, I've made us an appointment for a real French manicure. You can't miss that!"_

"_I'm sorry, Charlotte. But I'm going to visit Noa. Now."_

She practically clung to me while I was making my way over to her fireplace. Why was she so desperate to keep me all to herself.

"_Let go off my leg."_ I hiss at her when I've grabbed some floo powder. I don't want her to come along and most definitely not if only her arms followed me there. Kind of gross.

"_Fine!"_ She huffs and lets me go.

She says one more thing but I can't hear her anymore since I've shouted out Noa's address and I'm seconds away from tumbling out of her fireplace. This is a little more elegant than when I arrived at Charlotte's, probably because this trip barely took me a few seconds.

"_Danny?"_

I probably should have let them know I was coming. Now her mother is just staring at me with surprise and confusion written all over her face.

"_Were you coming over?"_She frowns.

"_Sorry, I probably should have send a letter or something."_ I say sheepishly. _"I just wanted to talk to Noa. It's kind of urgent."_

"_Oh, okay, sweetheart." _Her mother smiles at me. _"She's in her room, first door on the left."_

I've been in Noa's house a total of two times now but I seem to remember the house pretty well. I stop in front of the door I know is her room. Nerves are pretty much raging through me right now. So far I've told myself that everything will be fixed once I talk to Noa in person but what if I was wrong?

I knock anyway.

"_Noa?" _I eventually say when I don't get an answer from behind the door.

I'm considering whether or not to enter the room anyway when the door swings open violently.

"_Danny?" _

Noa is looking at me with something that I would like to call heart-attack-eyes. I think you'll manage to imagine what that looks like. She obviously wasn't expecting me but then again, I don't think she knew I was in France for the past week.

"_Hi." _I say lamely. _"Your mom send me up, I hope that's okay?"_

She eventually nods her head slowly. At least she isn't sending me away. And she looks more surprised than angry in my opinion.

"_I need to talk to you." _I say.

She's still not saying anything but she moves out of the way so I can enter the room. Her room is just the way I remember it, with a lot of pictures of me on the wall. Good, at least she didn't take those down.

"_How come you're here? It's the Christmas holidays and you always spend that with your family. Nothing is more sacred to you than that."_

True. For the past years it's been one of the rare moments all the people who mean the world to me are gathered together. But this year I'd rather be here than anywhere near them.

"_I was at home for Christmas but I've been staying at Charlotte's for a week now. I'm going back to England tomorrow." _I explain. _"Noa… I just want you to know that I'm sorry for lying to you. I've said it in my letters a million times but I need you to know that I really am. And if you can forgive me, I promise you I will never, ever keep something from you again."_

"_Danny…"_

"_And I'm not saying you should forgive me because frankly, you've got every right to still be pissed at me. But life sucks right now and I need my best friend. I'm even willing to beg you on my knees for it."_

"_I-" _Her sentence is interrupted by her mother calling her downstairs. _"Yes, mom?"_

"_There's a floo call for you!" _I can hear the woman yell at her mother.

"_I-" _Noa starts again but according to her mother the call is pretty urgent.

"_It's your aunt and she won't take no for an answer!"_

"_I'll be right back."_She eventually sighs and gets up to leave the room. _"Stay here, okay? We have to talk."_

I nod and soon after I can hear her talk downstairs to someone else. I take this moment to look at the pictures in her room. Like I've said most of them have me in it. It has always freaked me out to see myself in magical pictures, watching myself move and interact with the paper versions of the people I love. It's just weird. My mother agrees, that's why we only have muggle pictures hanging on our walls.

I have to laugh at the picture of our first Halloween together. God, we looked ridiculous in our outfits of a traditional muggle fairy. It was Noa's idea. I protested loudly.

The picture on her nightstand is the same as I have on mine. It's my favourite. It was taken last year during the Yule Ball. We both look really good all dressed up and we're smiling into the camera as if we don't have a care in the world. The me in the picture whispers something in Noa's ear that makes us both burst out in a laughing fit.

There's a picture on her dresser that I haven't seen before though, probably because I'm not in it. It's a beautiful picture of Noa. It looks like it's been taken this year during the fall, when I wasn't there. She seems to be completely oblivious of the camera and instead just smiles at a person right outside of the frame. She eventually pulls him in it and the guy kisses her smack on the lips. Noa is dating him!? I mean, probably since you don't keep a picture like that in your room when it's just a fling. I grab the picture to look at it closely. Yep, I saw correct the first time. That's Noa kissing Jonathan.

"_Sorry, it lasted longer than I expected. What had you been saying?" _Noa enters the room again with a small smile on her lips that quickly disappears once she sees what I'm looking at.

"_I was saying that I'm an awful person for keeping something important from you." _I say sarcastically, my voice shaking with anger and disappointment while pushing the frame in her hands.

"_I… I was going to tell you."_ She eventually says while I'm just staring at her angrily.

"_Really? When?!" _I spat.

"_Right now. I swear to you I was going to."_

"_And if I hadn't shown up, then what? That's crap, Noa. You weren't going to tell me anything." _I push past her to get downstairs and I'm grateful for the fact that her mother seems to have left the house.

"_Danny, wait! Just listen to me. I didn't mean for it to happen, it just did! I thought you would understand." _

"_Understand?" _I whirl around to look at her again. _"Understand what exactly? That you went behind my back and hooked up with my ex-boyfriend?! Or that you didn't tell me? Because I've been beating myself up the entire time, trying to come up with a way to earn your forgiveness for keeping something that important from you. But as it turns out, you've been doing the exact same thing. The only difference is I felt guilty about it. And I told you after four weeks while you've been hiding this for four months. You're right: I don't understand anything because a friend would have never pulled something like this!"_

"_Danny, I know-" _Noa is close to tears now and I almost feel sorry for yelling at her.

"_Don't bother. I don't want to hear it." _I give her one last cold look before grabbing some floo powder and yelling out Charlotte's address.

When I step out of Charlotte's fire place, I'm met with my friend who gives me a wary smile.

"_How did it go?"_

The way she's looking at me, leaves no doubt in my mind that she anticipated something like this would happen. Maybe that had even been the reason she was so reluctant to let me go.

"_Great,"_ I sigh. _"Did everyone know?"_

"_Well, they weren't really trying to hide it. They were actually painfully loves dovey in public." _

I glare at her.

"_I'm sorry things turned out this way, Danny, but you do understand it wasn't mine or anyone else's place to say anything, right?"_

I nod. I do. I might have been even angrier if I had to hear it from Charlotte or some other friend.

"_I'm sorry it turned out this way."_

"_Yeah, me too." _I say.

"_Do you want to watch a muggle movie and eat tons of ice cream with me?" _She asks hopefully.

"_No," _I shake my head. _"I'm going to pack my things."_

"_What? Why? I thought you were only going to leave tomorrow at noon?"_

"_I'm sorry, Charlotte, but I just want to go home right now."_

Actually I don't but at least it's a lot better than this place. Noa can't reach me at Grimmauld place.

I say goodbye to Charlotte and her family after I've packed my things and take the floo back home. I can't believe I'm actually looking forward to being back in that gloomy house.


	16. Remedial Potions

_Thanks to __**xXMizz Alec VolturiXx **__and __**swimmergirl22 **__for reviewing the previous chapter. It didn't get a lot of reviews – sadly – but I guess that made yours extra special._

Chapter 16

I'm glad to see no one is in the living room when I step out of the fireplace. I don't really know how to explain the reason I'm back earlier than expected and I most certainly do not want to tell them what's been going on between me and Noa since September.

"Danny?" My mother enters the room with drawn wand. "What are you doing here? I thought you were only coming home tomorrow."

"Yeah, change of plans." I sigh.

"Is everything okay?" She frowns.

Should have known that she'd pick up on my mood in seconds.

"I'm fine." I say though not very convincingly.

"Hey, wait," My mother grabs my arm before I can make it out of the room. "Why are you so upset? What happened? You can talk to me."

"Just leave me alone!" I snap at my mother who seems taken aback. Of course she is. Who in his right mind would snap at Lily Evans?

I pull my arm out of her grip and storm up the stairs to my bedroom while passing a bunch of bewildered Weasleys in the stairways.

I fall back on my bed, grab my pillow and shout in it at the top of my lungs. Hmm, I thought that was supposed to make people feel better, not stupid. Instead I just feel angry, upset, hurt, embarrassed, humiliated, alone. I feel so freaking alone.

If I thought a good cry session would make me feel better, I was sorely mistaken. Because I've been crying for over an hour now and I still feel like crap. A few minutes ago my mother knocked on my room again, saying dinner was ready but I told her I wasn't hungry.

Four hours later, I can hear people going up the stairs.

Another ten hours later, my dad knocks on my door asking if I want some breakfast. I tell him no as well, I don't know what to tell him otherwise.

At noon another knock on the door distract me from my growling stomach.

"I'm not hungry!" I snap at whichever parent is behind the door.

"Mom says she won't take no for an answer."

My head snaps up in the direction of the door once I realise it's Harry talking to me.

"I'm not hungry." I eventually repeat.

"She says you don't even have to come downstairs for it. I've got a plate right here for you if you want to."

I want to send him away but my stomach is protesting rather loudly against the idea of once again refusing food.

"I can hear your stomach from here." He says. "Just eat the food, Danny."

I reluctantly get up from my bed and unlock the door. Harry is holding a plate with toasts and garniture on it. Damn, that looks pretty good. I take the plate he offers me without looking him in the eye. Despite what happened with Noa, Harry still isn't off the hook either thought he does seem less traitorous to me than before.

"Can I come in?" He asks.

"I thought you just wanted to drop off the food." I reply dryly but still don't shut the door in his face.

I sit down on my bed and start shoving food down my throat when Harry closes the door behind him and sits down in front of me.

"Are you okay?" He eventually asks me.

"Yes. That's why I've locked myself up in this room, because I'm peachy." I say sarcastically.

"Right…" He looks awkwardly around the room, avoiding my eyes. "Are you upset because of me?"

"The world does not evolve around you, Harry Potter." I huff angrily.

"I know that." He quickly says.

"Do you?"

He's silent for a while because there is definitely some truth in what I'm saying.

"I'm sorry." He eventually says and takes me completely by surprise.

"What?" I frown.

"I'm sorry." He repeats.

"For what?"

I know what I want him to be sorry for but that doesn't mean that's what he's apologising for.

"For saying that you did those things because you like to be in control of people. That was mean, and wrong."

"Then why did you say it?"

"Because thinking that you willingly got yourself in trouble for me was the worse alternative." He admits.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It seems as if… everyone who's trying to help me, ends up regretting it. The people who believe I'm speaking the truth are being shunned by the others and I'm afraid that every person willing to throw themselves under a bus for me is going to pay too high a price for it."

"Then why were you just mean to me? Why not to Granger and Weasley as well?" I scoff.

"They're my best friends and I'd be lost without them but I'm pretty sure that the first one in line to throw herself under the figurative bus is you."

So basically what he's saying is that I'm being punished because I care the most.

"And that's a bad thing?"

"I think you'll end up regretting it."

"Never." I reply quickly.

"Not even if I turn out to be evil?"

What?!

"You're not evil."

"How can you be sure about that? You saw it too, right? That dream. I wanted to kill and when I woke up I still wanted to do that."

I can't deny the fact that scares the living shit out of me.

"I don't know what that was, Harry but you're not evil. And you're not possessed either."

He looks at me in confusion first but then it seems to dawn on him.

"Were you eavesdropping on our conversation a few days ago?"

"Of course I was." I shrug.

I'm thinking he's going to get angry over it but instead he does the most unlikely thing. He laughs.

"Of course you were." He smiles fondly and I think it's the first time he's looked at me like that.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He eventually asks me.

"About what?" I frown.

"The reason you've locked yourself in your room. I don't know if I'm a good listener, probably because I've never tried but if you want to, we can talk about it."

"You don't want to hear about bitch fights and ex-boyfriends." I sigh.

And I also don't want to talk about it.

"Ex-boyfriend? Did you and Cedric break up?"

"What?!" I sputter. "What kind of conclusion is that? Or better yet: what on earth makes you think me and Cedric are or were dating?"

"You're not?" He frowns.

"No! Why does everyone keep thinking that?"

Seriously, why?

"Because it looks as if you are. Lately you've been spending more time with him and you even let him in on the DA secret. You wouldn't have done that for just anyone."

"The only reason I've been spending more time with him, is because you were shutting me out."

"So,… me and Cedric are the same to you? He's more like a brother?" He asks me.

"No," I laugh. "To me, he is most definitely not like a… brother."

"_You know... You actually make me feel sad that I never had any siblings. I would have loved to have a sister like you."_

"_You think of me as a sister?!"_

"_No, I most definitely don't have brotherly feelings towards you. It's a whole other kind of feelings."_

That's what Cedric Diggory said to me after he ended up in the Hospital Wing because I accidentally poisoned him. Why did I just say the same thing?

"You okay? You're kind of spacing out." Harry waves a hand in front of my eyes.

"Yeah,… I just… remembered… something." I say slowly.

"Danny?"

"Huh?" I forget about the conversation and turn my attention back to my brother.

"I am sorry, and not just for what I said. I take you for granted, I know I do. And you deserve better than that. So, I'm sorry."

"Then why do you do it?"

Don't get me wrong, that is exactly the kind of apology I wanted to hear from him but I also needed to make sure it wouldn't remain that way.

"Because you're always there. Before I can properly realise I need you, you've already stepped in."

"So you're saying I don't give you enough time to realise you need me?"

"Exactly."

"Okay." I say.

"What?" He frowns.

"Apology accepted." I smile.

"Just like that?"

"Just like that." I shrug.

All I ever wanted was to hear him say that. That he needed me and realised I've always been there for him and that he appreciates it. As long as I know that, I can take any curve ball life throws me.

"I thought I'd have to beg you on my knees."

"Oh, I'm not stopping you." I grin.

Harry eventually also tells me that he's not angry that I took his spot as seeker on the team. He agrees with Angelina that it's the best way to still win the cup. I'm glad he's not upset about it anymore because even if I only took it to spite him, I was actually looking forward to playing on the team from now on.

"And one more thing." Harry says before we make our way downstairs. "Starting Monday I'm following extra lessons with Snape."

"Do you suck that much at Potions?"

"It's not for Potions." He sighs. "It's for Occlumency."

"What's that?"

"Snape said it was the magical defence of the mind against external penetration."

"Sounds dirty." I grin at him.

"You think everything sounds dirty." Harry rolls his eyes.

My mom and basically everyone else in this house is kind enough to not bring up the fact that I've just locked myself in my room for 24 hours without an apparent reason in their opinion. Good, because I'm not explaining any of it.

Two days later we're all getting ready to return to Hogwarts. I'm done packing my things while all the Weasleys and of course Harry, are still trying to gather all their things. I find Sirius in a room I haven't been in before.

"What is this place?" I ask him when I can't make anything out of the writing and pictures on the wall.

"It's my family tree." He smiles sourly.

"Wow, that's one big family." I look around at all the grim faces. "They all look so… charming."

He snorts.

"Yeah, they were awesome company."

"Where are you?"

"Right here." He point towards a burn mark on the wall. "My mother did that after I ran away to James' family."

I followed the line connecting Sirius to his parents' names to another portrait. The man in it looked an awful lot like Sirius but just a little bulkier and without a smile in his eyes. According to the family tree his name was Regulus Arcturus Black.

"You have a brother?" I look up at Sirius.

"_Had _a brother. He died during the first Wizarding War."

I am surprised by how little emotion there is in his voice while speaking of his brother's death.

"What happened?" I ask him carefully, I don't want to pry.

"He became a Death Eater, got the mark and made our parents proud. When he properly realised he was following a mad man, it was already too late. Voldemort killed him before he even had the chance to betray him."

"You weren't close?" I whisper.

"These people on the wall," He sighs and gestures to all the nasty people that are seemingly looking down on us. "they were never my real family. The Potters were. And James has been more of a brother to me than Regulus ever was."

No matter how he puts it, I feel kind of bad for this Regulus guy that his own brother didn't even seem to care he was dead. It seemed… wrong. Everyone should be mourned, even the bad people.

"But did you ever-"

"Love him?" He interrupted me. "I don't know. And if you're not certain, doesn't that mean you don't? But he was my little brother, Danny, and while we were at Hogwarts together I really did try to make him see the world from the perspective of the Light side."

"You couldn't?"

"He wouldn't listen. And after a while, I stopped trying."

"Brothers are pain in the asses." I say softly.

"Yeah, they are," He laughs a little. "I felt responsible for him but I didn't care, at least not enough. I wouldn't have done for him half the things you're willing to do for Harry."

"Well, me and Harry don't really have a normal or healthy sibling bond." I shrug.

"There's nothing wrong with wanting to protect him." He looks me in the eye. "Sure, the out-of-body-experiences are kind of weird but they're here for a reason. Use them."

He made me realise something.

"Uncle Sirius? You never really wanted me to go back to Beauxbatons, did you?" I ask him.

"No Marauder's daughter is going anywhere but Hogwarts." He grins before leaving the room.

He wasn't telling me that day that I could go back to Beauxbatons if I wanted to. He was making me see I didn't really want to. I don't ever want to leave Harry's side, even if it wrecks me. And I'm afraid it will.

We went back to school on the Knight bus. The stupid pimply guy I met two years ago was there as well and he annoyingly announced to the entire bus that Harry Potter was here. Which of course caused a lot of whispering and suspicious glares. The good thing about going to France, other than seeing my friends again, was the fact that I didn't have to deal with all the glaring and pointing. I'm afraid I'll have to get used to it again.

We made it back to Hogwarts quickly and while we're in the Great Hall for dinner, a lot of members of the DA come up to Harry to ask him, quite eagerly, if there is another meeting tonight. But Harry has his first Occlumency lesson with Snape. He can't tell them that though so now everyone thinks he sucks that much at Potions that he needs extra lessons.

I wasn't too happy about him going to the dungeons to be taught by Snape how to ward off people trying to invade his mind because obviously, that man hates Harry and was probably already planning how to make that hour a living hell. I would have gone with him and demanded to stay if I didn't already have something else planned. While Harry is in the dungeons tonight, I'm going to have a little chat with the Headmaster.

"Fizzing Wizzbee." I say, hoping the password for the Headmaster's office hasn't changed over the holidays.

Luckily it hasn't. The gargoyle moves aside so I can go up the stairs leading to the office.

"Come in." I hear his reply after I knocked on the door. "Ah, miss Potter. What a pleasant surprise! To what do I owe this pleasure?"

He smiles at me and gestures towards the chair in front of his desk.

"I want to talk about Harry." I say before my behind has even touched the chair.

"Of course." He nods. "Is there something specific concerning mister Potter than you would like to discuss?"

"Are you making him take those Occlumency lessons with Snape because you think he's being possessed by Voldemort?" I ask bluntly.

"How direct." He chuckles. "Tea?"

"What? No, I don't want tea! I want you to answer my question."

But despite my refusal he still conjures a tea pot and a cup for me. And instead of answering me, he slowly pores me some tea. Is he aggravating me on purpose?

"I could get you some biscuits with that." He smiles at me before handing me the cup of tea.

"No, thank you. Will you please stop avoiding the subject?" I scoff angrily.

All the portraits on the wall, the previous Headmasters of this school, or at least the ones who aren't snoring in their frames, huff undignified at my lack of politeness.

"Professor Dumbeldore?"

"Miss Potter," He sighs. "There are some things that a young girl like you doesn't need to know."

"Of course I have to know if it's about Harry!" I try not to yell at the Headmaster of Hogwarts but do so anyway.

"Why?" He asks me.

"Because it's Harry." I simply say.

He sighs once again and I'm thinking he's ignoring me since he seems more interested in petting his phoenix than he is at looking me in the eye.

"This may come as a surprise to you, miss Potter, but I do not hold all the answers. There are things in this world that are still a mystery to me." He talks slowly.

"Like what?"

"Like why you saw the dream Harry had of Mr Weasley. Why Harry had that dream in the first place. And why he sees and feels things that Voldemort does."

"Then why the Occlumency if you can't explain it either."

"It's not really possession. But Voldemort seems to have realised the bond he shares with Harry and there is no doubt he will find a way to use it and exploit it."

"How?"

"I do not know, miss Potter."

And he does indeed not hold all the answers. He doesn't understand more of what's going on than me and Harry do.

"So the Occlumency is to ensure that he doesn't have access to Harry's mind even though we don't know yet how he would take advantage of it?" I frown.

Dumbledore simply nods.

"Then why aren't you making me take those lessons as well? If my mind is connected to Harry's and his is connected to Voldemort's than who is to say that Voldemort won't find a way into my head as well?"

Pretty clever question if I do say so myself.

"There is no danger of such a thing happening."

Did he really think I was going to accept that as an answer?

"Why?"

"The connection you share with Harry and the one he does with Voldemort are not of the same kind. He cannot find a way into your subconscious. Think of it as… walky-talkies."

Walky-talkies?

"Yes, they are an invention of muggles, rather nifty I must admit. They are two devices in which people talk so the person holding the other device can hear them. It's a way of communicating."

"I know what walky-talkies are." I say.

My mom insisted on muggle toys when me and Harry were little. We had a lot of fun hiding one of them under the window and making gurgle noises. Our mom went crazy trying to find out what kind of weird creatures we had hiding in the plants.

"Then you know that for them to work, the people trying to communicate need to be on the same frequency, the same channel. You and Voldemort do not work on the same frequency when you try to reach Harry."

That is one weird metaphor.

"I think I understand. I just don't know why."

"May I take a wild guess?" Dumbledore asks.

I nod. His 'wild guess' is probably way more accurate than any of my well over thought ideas could ever be.

"The connection between Harry and Voldemort was created out of anger and very dark magic. It could not possibly be an equal to the bond you two share, one of love and sibling devotion."

I am silent. Even though Dumbledore has given me some new information, I still don't know the answer to the most important question.

"How do I help Harry?"

"That, miss Potter, is a question only you can answer."

I was already afraid he would say that.

I've returned to the common room half an hour before Harry comes through the portrait hole as well. I had been sitting with Weasley and Granger though I was pointedly ignoring their presence by keeping my eyes fixated on my book and shutting out their droning.

"Are you okay, Harry?" Granger asks once a very pale Harry slumps down in the couch next to me.

"Yeah." He says, not very convincingly.

"Occlumency sure looks like fun." I mutter.

"It most definitely is not but it did make me realise something."

Harry explains to the three of us that he recognised the corridor he sees in his recurrent dream as the one leading to the Department of Mysteries in the Ministry of Magic. And somehow that made him conclude that the weapon Voldemort is looking for is kept there. The two of them just went along with his idea and even riled him up, while I seemed to be the only one worrying that Harry is still having that same dream. I return to my book without paying much attention to what they're saying.

_Occlumency is the act of magically closing one's mind against Legilimency. It can prevent a Legilimens from accessing one's thoughts and feelings, or influencing them. _

_The most basic form of Occlumency involves clearing one's mind – making it 'blank and empty' – in order to prevent a Legilimens from perceiving one's emotions and thoughts. More advanced Occlumency involves suppressing only the thoughts, emotions, and memories that would contradict whatever it is the Occlumens wishes a Legilimens to believe. Hence, it is not obvious that Occlumency is being used even if the person is lying. It requires a great deal of will power, as with resisting the Imperius Curse, as well as a high degree of mental and emotional discipline. It is also one method of resisting the influence of Veritaserum._

The way it was written down, Occlumency didn't seem to be that difficult.

_Occlumency is a rare and difficult skill._

Oh.

But if it was the same as resisting the Imperius Curse than Harry should be able to do it. After all, he already fought it off once, when the imposter Moody was doing it to him. He was a little less successful with Voldemort though. And emotional discipline isn't really his forte either.

"Hey, Danny?" Harry whispers to me while Weasley and Granger are to occupied with the invisible hats the Weasley Twins are selling in the common room.

"Yeah?" I turn to him.

"Are you okay?" He asks me.

"Yeah… why? Do I look like crap or something?" I frown.

"No, I was just wondering if you felt uncomfortable or sick or nauseous?"

"No… why are you asking me that?"

"No reason."

Harry is a terrible liar. But nonetheless I let him get away with it and return to my interesting literature.

_Legilimency is the act of magically navigating through the many layers of a person's mind and correctly interpreting one's findings. Laymen sometimes refer to Legilimency as 'mind-reading', but practitioners disdain this term as naïve. _

_The most advanced Legilimens can perform Legilimency nonverbally and wandlessly, but less talented practitioners must use the incantation 'Legilimens' to enter their victim's mind. If a target is not skilled in Occlumency, a Legilimens will be able to detect if the person is lying, as well as delve into their thoughts, emotions and memories. Highly skilled Legilimens can also influence a mind that they invade. It is easier to perform Legilimens when the target and practitioner's eyes meet._

"What are you reading?" Harry peers into my book. "Why are you reading about Occlumency and Legilimency?"

"Because unlike you, I'd actually like to know what's coming your way." I say without looking away from the book.

"Did you know Voldemort is a Legilimens?" He asks me.

He's definitely got my attention now.

"Really?"

I shouldn't be too surprised, it's obviously the reason Harry is having that dream about the Department of Mysteries. But a Voldemort that can read your mind and manipulate your emotions sounds even more dangerous. Remind me to never look him in the eyes.

"That's exactly why it's very important for you to get the hang of Occlumency, Harry." I say.

"Easy for you to say." He mumbles.

"Look, I can understand that it is not an easy thing to do but you have to succeed at it."

"But if I succeed at shutting him out, I won't be able to see what he's thinking and feeling anymore."

"And that's a bad thing because….?"

"Because you can't deny the fact that it's useful. What if I hadn't seen Voldemort's snake attack Mr Weasley. He would be dead now."

"Harry, as useful as you think this connection has been, haven't you thought about the fact that he thinks of it the same way? As something extremely useful for him? No matter what, you cannot let him in your mind."

He nods and announces that he's going to bed. I'm afraid he's not taking the Occlumency serious enough.

If I thought things were going to look up from now on, I was sorely mistaken. The next morning I was greeted by the headline of the Daily Prophet.

_MASS BREAKOUT FROM AZKABAN_

Lovely way to start the morning.

_The Ministry of Magic announced late last night that there has been a mass breakout from Azkaban. _

_Speaking to reporters in his private office, Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic, confirmed that ten high-security prisoners escaped in the early hours of yesterday evening and that he has already informed the Muggle Prime Minister of the dangerous nature of these individuals. _

'_We find ourselves, most unfortunately, in the same situation we were two and a half years ago when the murderer Peter Pettigrew escaped.' Said Fudge last night. 'Nor do we think the two breakouts are unrelated. An escape of this magnitude suggests outside help, and we must remember that Pettigrew, as the first person ever to break out of Azkaban, would be ideally placed to help others follow in his footsteps. We think it likely that these individuals have rallied around Pettigrew as their leader. We are, however, doing all we can do to round up the criminals, and we beg the magical community to remain alert and cautious. On no account should any of these individuals be approached.'_

Yes, because my first instinct when facing a deranged Death Eater would be to approach them.

This is unbelievable. Ten Death Eaters are free and without a doubt, joined Voldemort's forces again and all Fudge does is tell people to be alert and tries to shove it off on Pettigrew. That man is a lot of things, traitor and scum firstly, but he's not clever and estimated enough to stage this great escape. How can Fudge still pretend this doesn't have Voldemort written all over it?

"Read this!" I shove the paper under Harry's nose before he even sits down while Granger does the same.

"I guess that explains why he was happy last night." Weasley nudges Harry after reading the article.

"You saw in his head again?" I reprimand him.

"It's not like I can shut him out after one hour of Occlumency." He sighs.

I guess that's why he was asking me last night if I felt weird. I bet he did.

The next few days the mass breakout was all everyone could talk about but I was shocked that no one seemed to take this as one extra proof that Voldemort had indeed returned. Did they all think one of the dementors just happened to let the back door open? They're all idiots! But according to Harry they did seem different. He claimed that the whispers about him now seemed more curious than hostile. I think he's delusional as well.

But I started thinking that maybe I'm the delusional one because there must have been some truth in what Harry thought because soon came Educational Decree number twenty-six that said teachers weren't allowed to talk to students about subjects unrelated to the courses.

It was very clear to everyone that the news of the mass breakout was making Umbridge even less tolerant than she had been before.

Angelina has been breaking me physically with all the Quidditch trainings and Harry was breaking me mentally with all the DA meetings. I love going to the DA meetings but as much as Harry sucks at Occlumency, that's how little progress I've been making lately. I've always considered myself a fairly brilliant witch but at a certain point I actually saw Neville master a spell before I did. Harry says he's been making a lot of progress but still, that sucked big time.

And what sucked even more was Cedric Diggory. He was always distracting me during the DA meetings, talking to me, not talking to me, smiling at me, smiling at Alicia Spinnet, training with me, partnering up with someone else. He wasn't avoiding me at all, instead he treated me as one of the guys. And I hate it.

What's even worse is when he doesn't show up for the DA meetings. Because of his Head Boy duties he can't always make it to every one of them. When he doesn't show up I can even concentrate less than when he does. I catch myself glancing at the door the entire time to see if maybe he will still show up. What the hell is wrong with me?!

The fact that I have too much time to think about this, is in no way good for me. It gives me the possibility to think about everything Cedric has ever said to me and makes me wonder, really ask myself, what we are. Because I don't know what being in love is supposed to feel like. I've never been in love with anyone before. I know what a crush feels like and I know very well that that's not what all this is. Is it something else? Something more? Something less? I don't know and I can't exactly ask anyone, can I?

But maybe this is where Sirius's rule applies as well. If you're not certain you love a person, then it means that you don't.

Right?

_As usual, the text from Danny's book came from the Haary Potter wikia and the article of the Daily Prophet came from the book so those were J.K. Rowlings'w words._

_Tell me what you thought of it?_


	17. Something's coming

_A very big thank you to the awesome people who reviewed chapter 16: __**Just Another Aceves, Wikked, APersonHere, swimmergirl22 **__and __**xXMizz Alec VolturiXx. **_

_True, there hasn't been a lot of Cedric in the previous chapters but I hope this one will make up for that. _

_I'm glad you liked the way Harry and Danny made up. I struggled a little there but was happy about it in the end and the fact that you were too means I did a good job at it. :)_

Chapter 17

I am jealous of Harry. For all the obvious reasons and all the ones that have plagued me all these years. But now I was jealous because of another reason, for one he would probably declare me insane. I wanted to be taught Occlumency as well. Agreed, I wouldn't want to learn it from Snape but since he's the only 'good' Legilimens we know, he'll have to do. And the worst part is, Harry doesn't seem to value what he is being taught. Instead he keeps insisting that he needs to see the end of his recurrent dream, the one he's been having every night since he started the Occlumency lessons.

You have to admit that if Legilimency is a skill mastered by several Death Eaters the way I think it is, it should be a mandatory class at Hogwarts. I for one am determined to get the hang of Occlumency as well, preferably before Harry does. I think I've got all the time in the world to do that.

But the problem is, for me to learn Occlumency I need a Legilimens to attack my mind. As I've said before, Snape is the only one we know with the exception of Voldemort of course but I don't see him helping me any time soon.

"Yes, miss Potter?" Snape's annoyed droning voice asks me when I stay behind after Potions.

I'd like to think Snape's a person who appreciates honesty and directness.

"I would like to learn Occlumency as well, sir."

He snaps up from the papers he had been grading and looks at me with suspicious eyes.

"What are you talking about?"

"I know you're teaching Harry and I would like for you to teach me as well."

By the hostile glare he's giving me, I'd say that's a no?

"Mister Potter's remedial Potions lessons are private." He sneers.

"Sir, if Voldemort-"

"Do not say his name!" He hisses angrily at me.

"Fine, if He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named can look inside people's mind, don't you think it would benefit everyone to master Occlumency?"

He did not follow my reasoning.

"I've told you, they are private. You are dismissed, Potter."

"But, sir-"

"Dismissed!"

I had to retreat like a wounded soldier who lost the battle. Well, it takes more than one to win the war and I've got some options left.

"Where are we going, Danny?"

I asked Wayne's help with this. I am aware that he is in no way a Legilimens but there are other ways for me to obtain the skills needed for Occlumency.

"To the Room of Requirement."

"But I thought there wasn't a DA meeting tonight." He frowns and looks down at the coin that indeed doesn't have today's date engraved in it.

"There isn't. We're going to have a private tutoring." I say before entering the room.

"It looks just like it always does." Wayne glances at the familiar room.

"We don't need anything specific." I shrug and walk to the middle of the room where we usually practise duelling.

"What do you need my help for anyway?" He asks me.

"I want you to hit me with the Imperius Curse." I say.

"WHAT!?"

"The spell's 'Imperio' and apparently you have to really mean it so give it your best shot." I tell him before putting away my wand.

According to everything I've read about Occlumency, it requires great will power and mental and emotional discipline. Those things can also be obtained by resisting the Imperius Curse. If Snape doesn't want to teach me, this will have to do.

"Are you insane?!" He shouts at me.

"Look, I know it sounds weird but I need to learn how to resist the Imperius Curse and the only way to do that is by having someone throw it at me." I explain to a freaked out Wayne.

"No way! I am not using an Unforgivable just so you can have a little experiment." He shakes his head.

"It's not a little experience. It's a matter of life and death."

"Exactly! And since I want to live and not die a painful death in Azkaban, I pass."

"You could always escape from Azkaban. Apparently it's not that hard."

"That's not funny." He scoffs angrily and turns around to walk away.

"You owe me." I say and he turns back around when he hears it.

I know it's not fair referring to the time he took me out on a date and kissed me only to get over some other girl he's still pining over but he did owe me.

"I don't owe you that much."

"Please?"

"No. And don't ask anyone else to do it either. They're unforgivable for a reason."

"Yeah, because you could make someone into a killer but I trust you won't make me murder someone while under the curse."

"I said no, Danny."

I was already afraid he wouldn't go along with it. There's still one back-up though.

"Fine, but will you help me with something else then?" I huff.

"With what? It's not still something illegal, is it?"

"I'm not sure." I muse.

"Danny!"

"I don't think so. And it isn't dangerous at all, neither are there any unforgivables involved."

"What is it?" He sighs.

"If I make Veritaserum, will you ask me embarrassing and personal questions?" I ask him.

One other way to obtain this amazing will power and emotional discipline is by resisting the effect of Veritaserum. I wasn't too sure it would work as efficiently as the Imperius curse but it was my final option.

"I guess." He shrugs. "That's it? No dangerous hexes, no law-breaking?"

I shake my head. I can't break a law with every little plan I have. They aren't limitless, you know.

"Now, out! I have to brew a potion." I grin.

I didn't need any weird or rare ingredients for this potion so I was rather grateful that I wouldn't have to break into Snape's supply closet again. The potion did however need one lunar phase to ripe so it wouldn't be ready for another month. I guess I'll just have to be patient then but we all know that's not really one of my virtues.

The next morning Wayne keeps shooting me strange looks as if he's still not sure whether to trust me on my word that I won't do anything as reckless and illegal as motivating someone to use an unforgivable. But I choose to ignore it and just focus on whatever nonsense is sprouting out of Angelina's mouth this time.

"So we'll be training all day today."

Wait, what was that?

"All day?!" I give her my full attention now.

"Yes, we agreed during the last training that no matter the plans for this Saturday, the entire team is obligated to participate in an additional training today that will take the entire day."

"When did I ever agree to that?" I frown.

"Oh, you didn't. Angelina just announced it to us and made everyone who object stay ten minutes longer in the pouring rain." Weasley grumbles.

Good thing I missed it then because I would, without a doubt, have objected.

"Why do you need so much training anyway?" Harry asks us. "I don't remember it ever being this intensive."

"Because we suck!" I say.

We really do. I mean the team, not every individual. Angelina, Ginny and Alicia make a great team together and I don't really have to work together with anyone, just be fast enough which I am. The real problem isn't even Weasley. He looks bloody brilliant compared to the two stupid new beaters. They are awful, and what's worse is when they do hit a bludger, they end up hitting it in the direction of their team members. We are so losing the upcoming game against Hufflepuff. And I really, really wanted to defeat Cedric.

I look up when the owls fly in with the letters. Once again I'm scanning them all without any result. Noa's owl is nowhere. I had hoped that maybe she felt as bad as I had these past few months after what happened and that now it would be her turn to send me pleading letters. But so far I've gotten nothing. Did she not feel guilty? Did she not feel miserable? Why was she not begging me on her knees for forgiveness like I had done?

"What are you looking for?" Harry asks me.

"Nothing." I sigh.

"Okay, let's start it then." Angelina gets up and glares at both me and Weasley who aren't really making an attempt to follow her. "Well?"

"The thing is, I was kind of going to finish this." I gesture toward the donuts I had piled on my plate.

"There's no time for that." She scoffs.

"Wanna bet?" I grin.

I break a world record shoving four donuts into my mouth in one minute. I grin once again at her with a sugar powdered mouth after swallowing. She just rolls her eyes and heads over to the entrance of the Great Hall, me and Weasley in tow.

"Hey, Danny. What are you-" Cedric greets me at the entrance but stops in the middle of his sentence and gives me a really weird look.

"What?" I scoff at his strange expression.

"What did you have for breakfast?" He smiles at me.

"Donuts. Why do you ask?" I frown.

"No reason." He shows a sneaky smile and wears it all the way to his table.

"Why was he looking at me like that?" I grumble, forgetting completely that Weasley is still standing next to me.

"Probably because you look like a cocaine addict gone wild." He snickers.

"What?" I turn to him in confusion.

"Dude, you have sugar all over your face."

What! Oh, no! I just greeted Cedric completely covered in sugar. I quickly wipe it away with the closest tissue which happens to be Weasley's sweater but the damage is already done.

"That's so embarrassing." I groan.

"Why?" Weasley says after pushing me off his sweater that is now a sugary one.

"Because…"

I'm not easily embarrassed. Normally I would have just grinned away a situation like that. Why was I getting so worked up over this?

"Don't call me dude again!" I randomly yell at Weasley and stomp out of the Great Hall to follow Angelina to the pitch.

"I said to throw the Quaffle, not drop it!" Johnson yells at the top of her lungs.

Yeah, she isn't Angelina anymore when we mount our brooms. Gone is the charming young woman and in comes the raging beast that will bite of your head the second you dare do something not exactly the way she wants you to. I do understand where she's coming from though. She's obviously worried about the upcoming game. We have to play against Hufflepuff in two weeks and I'm afraid that even if I manage to catch the snitch before Cedric, we still might not win with such horrid beaters on our team.

"She's going to kill us before we can make it to next Saturday." Ginny grumbles, soaring in the air on her broom next to me.

"Well, at least that way we can forfeit due to death of the team and we can save ourselves of the embarrassment." I say.

Because an embarrassment it would definitely be if we played similar to the trainings.

"How's your patronus going?" Ginny asks me.

"Badly." I sigh.

We've been working on the Patronus charm for a few weeks now and so far Granger is the only one, besides Harry, capable of producing a full patronus with a few others well on their way. I, on the other hand, am having a lot of trouble to even produce a fog anymore. I used to be able to do at least that but not lately. Probably because I'm just so damn angry all the time. Angry that Noa isn't reaching out to me, angry that Voldemort is trying to kill Harry, angry that Harry seems to not take it seriously enough and angry because I just can't seem to figure out Cedric Diggory.

"Yeah, mine too. I can't get past the fog."

I glare at her. At least she's got fog.

"But I'm hoping maybe it will go a little better tonight."

"Don't count on it." I grumble.

I'm not looking forward to tonight. Mainly because it makes me kind of nervous whenever Cedric Diggory is near and I know, thanks to the schedule I still hold in my possession, he will be there tonight.

"Well, time's up. "Ginny smiles at me. "Finally I can get some rest."

We both fly down to mount off our brooms as does everyone else when Angelina suddenly calls us back.

"Don't forget to be here again after dinner." She says.

"Today?"

"Yes. Today, Danny. We need more practice and the game is in two weeks. I expect all of you back here."

The four girls on the team are all members of the DA. That's why Ginny deems it safe to mention the meeting of tonight in the changing rooms.

"But what about the DA meeting tonight?" She frowns.

As much as I hate the idea of another training because some people do not understand the concept of aiming, I wasn't that upset at missing the meeting tonight. The less I see of the Head Boy, the better.

"We'll be there but we'll be late. Danny will let Harry know, right?" Angelina turn to me.

I nod. Damn, I had hoped I could skip the thing all together.

I went to check on my Veritaserum after training. It was doing okay but I will still need a lot of patience before it's ready. I spend my time until lunch helping the Weasley Twins with their little experiments and I only see Harry again when I go into the Great Hall for dinner.

"Did Weasley tell you yet?" I ask him when I sit next to him and his friends.

"That you can't make it to the meeting tonight? Yeah."

"We'll still make it. We just won't be there on time." I say while piling food on my plate. I am starving.

"So what are the plans for the Hogsmeade trip next week?" I ask him. "I hope Angelina won't schedule extra practice but even she did, I need that trip. I'm kind of low on everything sugarish."

"Actually I'm going to Hogsmeade next week with Cho." Harry says softly.

I almost spit out my drink.

"What?!" I say once I'm all coughed out.

When did that happen?

"Like a date?" I ask.

"Yeah." He shrugs.

"When did you get from the point where you could barely talk to her without peeing your pants to going on a date with her?"

Harry actually blushed but that's mostly the reason I like talking that way.

"Probably around the time he kissed her." Weasley says.

"What?! When did that happen? Why don't I know that?"

I don't want the details but it would have been nice to know he finally made a move on Cho.

"Because you said that we don't talk about stuff like that."

Well, I did kind of say that when I refused to tell him about Jonathan.

"True." I shrug and finish my meal.

"Ready?" Ginny suddenly stands next to me. "Practice will start in ten minutes and we still have to change."

I nod, get up and follow her out of the Great Hall while Weasley stumbles behinds us while still shoving meat in his mouth.

"You're doing pretty well in the position of seeker." Ginny says in the changing rooms.

"Yeah," I shrug. "But I prefer chaser. I'm sure you can understand why."

She nods. I like the game, love it even but as a seeker it's almost as if you're playing a game by yourself instead of it being a team sport. Besides, I like being the one who scores by throwing the Quaffle through hoops, not by catching a little shiny ball. The little shiny ball is worth 150 points but still. Maybe I'll try out for chaser again next year and keep in mind not to hit little boys.

Practise is hell and the fact that one of the new beaters hit me in the face with his bat while missing the bludger aimed at Angelina doesn't get me in a good mood. I yelled at him, rather angrily and with a lot of swear words but I still ended up with a swollen lip and blue cheek.

"Kirke is a bloody idiot." I grumble while walking back to the castle with Ginny, Angelina, Alicia and Weasley for the DA meeting.

"I know." Angelina sighs. "But he and Sloper were the only ones during try-outs who actually managed to stay on their brooms."

"Maybe you should pass by the Hospital Wing. That's one really nasty bruise." Ginny says to me.

"It's just a bruise and a busted lip. I'm fine." I shrug.

We're almost an hour and a half late when we finally make it to the Room of Requirement. I'm glad to see today Harry doesn't have us do the Patronus charm again, instead it's the stunning spell. I'm not bad at that one.

"What happened to you?" Harry turns to me.

"Retarded beaters." I huff.

"Are you okay?" He looks at me with concern.

"It's part of the game." I shrug. "Now, what shall you have us do today, Professor?"

He pairs me up with Ginny to practice the stunning spell but she too seems to be already more than adequate at it and soon we decide to take a break.

"So how come your patronus isn't going too well?"

"Who knows?" I shrug.

"Maybe your memory isn't strong enough. What do you think of?"

"First day at Beauxbatons." I smile more to myself than at her.

Nothing special really happened that day, I just arrived at the new school, settled in and went to bed. But that day marks the beginning of my individuality. It was the first day ever I spend without Harry and I loved it. It was a bright new world where I had yet to define my place.

"What do you think of?" I ask Ginny.

She suddenly blushes and looks at the ground. What's up with that!?

"What?" I smile. "What do you think of?"

"It's embarrassing." She whispers.

I could get her far enough to tell me her memory if only I got the time to do it. But out of the blue someone else joins in our conversation and Ginny shuts down completely.

"Why do you have a blue face?"

Cedric Diggory is looking down at me where I'm sitting on the floor. There's concern in his eyes and I find myself strangely pleased with it.

"Because the new beaters don't know the difference between the bludgers and the faces of their team mates." I tell him.

"It looks painful." He frowns and kneels down so his face is at the same level as mine.

"Why does everyone keep saying that? I'm not that sensitive." I huff.

"Oh, I know. You're bad-ass, but most people would be howling out in pain with something like that."

"I'm not saying I'm ba- AUW!" I hiss when he touches the bruise on my cheek. I quickly slap away his hand. "What did you do that for?!"

"Sorry, but I thought you weren't that sensitive." He smiles.

I scoff. Why does he have fun teasing me and throwing my own words back in my face? I want to turn back to resume my conversation with Ginny but realise that she's already left.

"You chased away Ginny. "I glare at him.

"I'm much better company anyway." He smiles.

I look at him. He looks the same as always with his dark brown hair and bright grey eyes that almost always shine with so much emotion. I've heard other girls describe him as strong and silent. He doesn't seem very silent to me most of the time but I do see a certain strength in him. He's handsome, there is no denying that. But somehow, today, he seems different.

"What? Is there something on my face?" He frowns.

"No." I shake my head.

"You stare at guys all the time then?" He cocks an eyebrow.

"No."

"Danny, I-"

Whatever he was going to say to me is interrupted by Harry announcing the end of class to us. I want to help him clean up all the stuff but by now my face really has started to sting a little and maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to go to the Hospital Wing after all.

"I'll walk you there." Cedric says when I tell my brother where I'm going.

"I have a bruise, I didn't go blind or anything. I can find the Hospital Wing."

But nevertheless, I let him walk me there. Madam Pomfrey quickly heals my face and even though she gives me a suspicious look since I'm once again out of my dormitory after hours, she says nothing. Probably because I'm in company of the Head Boy. I guess it wasn't so bad to let him come with me after all.

"So I heard your brother is taking Cho on a date next week." He says to me on our way back to the Gryffindor tower. He says the Hufflepuff common room is in the same direction but I know it isn't.

"How do you even know that?" I frown.

I hadn't known until a few hours ago so how the hell did he?

"Cho told me."

"Why would she tell you that? Are you guys friends?"

"Not really but apparently, for some reason, she deemed it necessary to inform me."

I don't like the sound of that. It's almost as if she told him to get a rise out of him, to make him jealous. But why would she want to make Cedric jealous if she already has Harry?

"I don't like it." I shake my head in annoyance.

"You don't?" He suddenly turns to me. "Why? Does it make you jealous?"

"Why on earth would I be jealous?" I scoff.

"You should be." He says. "Because the more time you spend pushing me away, the more time there is for me to fall in love with another girl."

I look at him in surprise. I know that's true but I hadn't expected for that to… hit me the way it just did.

"Maybe that's what I want you to do." I eventually say.

"I don't think it is."

"How could you possibly know what I want?" I glare at him.

"I don't. I even think you don't know. And normally I'm not the kind of guy who keeps chasing after a girl who says she doesn't want me back but lately you've been acting differently."

"Differently how?"

"As if this thing," He makes a gestures between the two of us. "isn't one-sided anymore, at all."

"What makes you think that?" I breathe out.

"The way you glare at any girl I give my attention to, the way you seem almost flustered every time I tease you. But more than anything," He gently grabs my chin to make me look him in the eyes. "The way you look at me."

I'm afraid he can hear my heart race faster with every word that slides of his lips. It would make him draw the wrong conclusion. That I like him back, that I want to be with him, that I can't imagine some other girl having him because it would hurt too much. That I've somehow fallen in love with him as well.

"You're wrong."

I pull away from him in the hopes that it will be enough to make him back off but he doesn't. Instead he just steps closer to me until his face is unbearably close to mine and I can't shiver without him taking notice of it.

"No, I'm not." He insists. "I'm not going on a wild guess here. I know you feel something for me and I've tried to give you time to come to terms with it yourself but no man is that patient."

"What do you want me to say, Cedric? That you're right? That I feel for you what you want me to? I won't. Because it's not tr-" I hesitate. "…Because I can't."

He's noticed my hesitation and immediately jumps on it.

"Why not?" He urges.

"You mocked it." I say so softly but he somehow manages to catch my words.

"Mocked what?" He frowns in confusion now.

"One of the only things that I hold dear in this life. You mocked Harry's words. And I know that's probably not a good enough reason to you but it makes me unable to look you in the eye and not think of how betrayed I felt by you when I read the article this summer."

"The article in the Daily Prophet? That was months ago. That's it? That's the reason you're so reluctant to admit that maybe you're falling in love with me as well?!"

"I'm not in love with you." I snap at him. "But yes, that article is why I don't want you to want me."

"Why didn't you tell me that sooner?" He sighs in relief and smiles at me now. "Just tell me what I have to do to make that right and I'll do it."

I shake my head.

"That's the thing about written press. Once it's out there, the damage is done and there is no way to undo it."

"Wait, so you're saying there's nothing I can do to change your mind?"

I look at him and he seems almost devastated by what I just told him.

"But I apologised for the article, I even told Harry I believe him now." He looks at me with big, pleading eyes.

"I know, but sometimes being sorry just isn't enough."

I leave him standing in the hallway. I have nothing left to say and even if he does, it wouldn't change anything.

When I finally get back to the common room, there's almost no one there. I guess most people already went to bed. I quickly follow their example and hope to God that tonight I won't dream of beaters who don't know the difference between left and right.

The rest of the week is the same as always. A lot of beatings from my own team mates and no word from France. Well, that's not true. I've been writing a lot back and forth with Charlotte but Noa is still not reaching out to me.

"Harry, you need to come to the three broomsticks today. I know you have your date with Cho but it's very important you be there. You can even take her with you. Just be there at noon, okay?" Granger addresses Harry at the breakfast table before the Hogsmeade trip.

Is she trying to sabotage their date or something? What kind of girl would be okay with a guy interrupting their date on Valentine's Day to go meet up with his friends? I'm pretty sure Cho wouldn't be that kind of girl. But he nods anyway as if he hasn't even thought about how she would feel about it. He probably hasn't.

"I hate Valentine's Day." I grumble while shoving a piece of toast in my mouth.

Not because nobody asked me, I'm kind of glad no one did. But today at Hogsmeade we'll all be surrounded by lovey-dovey couples that will make me want to puke my guts out. It's not a nice feeling.

"Why?" Granger asks me. "Because nobody asked you?"

I glare her to death.

"No!" I snap. "Because it's the one day in the year everybody loses common sense and suddenly everything is all rainbows and ponies. The world is not all rainbows and ponies!"

"It's because nobody asked her." Weasley nods as if he's the wisest man in the world.

I smack him in the back of his head. Hard.

"I'm not seeing anyone jumping to go on a date with you either." I hiss at him.

"I'm not going to Hogsmeade." He blushes. "I need to practice for the game."

"Really?" I frown, a little astound by his devotion to improve. "Aren't you sick and tired of practice yet?"

"Of course I am but I don't want to lose either. You should do the same."

"I've already gotten to terms with the fact that we'll lose." I shrug.

I so will not be okay with it if we lose, or when we lose.

"I guess that means it's just the two of us today." Granger says.

Oh, joy.

As soon as we make it to Hogsmeade, she drags me in every single store, even the ones that only sell mothballs. What is she going to do with those?

"Let's go to Scrivenshaft's Quill shop now. It's almost noon so we should probably go to the Three Broomsticks afterwards."

I just nod and go along with whatever she wants. Resisting is too exhausting. I'm about to follow her into the quill shop when I see someone walking the streets of Hogsmeade who catches my attention.

The blond girl walking on the left could be anyone, maybe even someone I've never met before. The guy next to her however is clearly Cedric Diggory, I can tell from his hair, his form and the way he walks. Why the hell can I recognise the back of his head?

They keep a considerably distance between the two of them but they're clearly together. I can see them talking but I'm too far away to possibly hear what they're saying. If only I could get a little closer.

I glance back at the shop to see Granger is still sifting through all kinds of quills. She'll be busy for a while. She probably won't even notice that I'm not there. What could be the harm in just checking who this girl is and what she's doing here in Hogsmeade with Cedric, on Valentine's Day?

I wish the girl would just turn around so I could look at her face because the longer I follow them through the streets of Hogsmeade, the more I am convinced that I know the girl. But who do I know with such long blond hair and a skip in her walk and who knows Cedric? I can't think of anyone.

Cedric, ever the gentleman, opens the door to the Three Broomsticks for the girl and enters after her. Well, I was going there anyway. I walk out of my hiding spot behind the building of Dominic Maestro's and to the door of the pub. When I'm still a few feet away, the door sways open and a person I never expected to see here in a million years walks out.

The dirt on the clothes and blond, almost white hair clearly indicates that the person just came here through floo powder and probably only just stumbled out of the fire place in the Three Broomsticks. When blue eyes meet mine, I can literally feel my jaw drop.

"Noa?"


	18. The Truth Revealed

_I know it's been a while but for some reason I just couldn't write this chapters as quickly as usual. I totally screwed myself by writing Noa back in the story because the conversation between her and Danny was a real pain in the butt. But I managed. :D_

_Yes, I know I like cliff hangers a little too much for your sanity. But I really love writing them and driving you guys insane with the desire to know what's going to happen next. Does that make me a little sadistic? Probably._

_And I really want thank all the amazing people who reviewed the last chapter, my faithful reviewers: __**avengeme, Just Another Aceves, xXMizz Alec VolturiXx, swimmergirl22, APersonHere, Wikked **__and __**Prettylittleliarxxx!**_

Chapter 18

This doesn't make any sense. Why would Noa, who I haven't seen since the day I found out she had been hooking up with my ex-boyfriend behind my back while she was making me feel guilty for not telling her the truth, be here of all places?

"_Hi, Danny."_ She says softly and gives me a hesitant smile.

I don't respond. I'm too busy processing the fact that she's here, in Hogsmeade, standing in front of me.

"_What are… I mean, when did you…."_ I take a gulp of air. _"Why are you here?"_

"_Because the conversation we had a few weeks ago wasn't finished yet."_

"_It seemed finished to me." _I cross my arms in front of my chest and glare at her.

"_It wasn't." _She takes a step closer to me. _"I still wanted to tell you how sorry I am, how I didn't mean for anything to happen between me and Jonathan."_

"_Let me guess? It just did. You tried to fight it but you just couldn't? When it's meant to be, it's meant to be?" _I snare at her.

I don't want to hear all the horrid clichés coming out of her mouth, defending why she hurt me.

"_I didn't know how to tell you." _She whispers. _"I was afraid it would upset you."_

"_Of course it would upset me!" _I yell. _"You went after my ex-boyfriend! You hid it from me! There's a code for girls and you just broke the main rules!"_

A few people look up when I raise my voice. Good, I hope Noa will be absolutely mortified at me making a scene.

"_I know what I did was wrong." _

"_Then why are you here, asking me not to be mad at you anymore if you know you made a mistake?"_

"_Danny… I regret what happened and I know I handled it the wrong way. But Jonathan is not a mistake." _She says.

"_So…what? You guys are in love or something?"_ I scoff.

"_I love him."_ She has the audacity to smile at her own words.

You don't just say you love someone if you've only dated for a few months. The earliest they could have started dating was September since I only broke up with him right before the summer holidays. How can she say that if she's only been with him for four months tops?

"_How long?" _I grit my teeth.

"_You mean how long since I've loved him?" _She asks.

"_How long have you and Jonathan been sneaking around?!" _I hiss. _"April? March? How many times did I thank you for calming down Jonathan while in reality you guys were snogging each other's brains out?!"_

"_What? Oh, no! Danny, it wasn't like that at all. Nothing ever happened between the two of us when you were still dating. It took him a lot of time to get over you."_

"_Yeah, a whole month! Poor guy!" _I yell.

I'm not angry he isn't pining after me anymore. I'm not exactly yearning for him either. He can see whoever he wants now. But not my best friend, and most definitely not while he was still dating me.

"_We did not go behind your back!"_

"_Don't you dare say that!" _I point an accusing finger in her direction. _"You did."_

She's silent now. How is she going to come up with something to defend herself when she knows there is nothing she can say?

"_I… I had feelings for him last year. When you were still trying to figure out what the Hogwarts champion was to you and I was spending more time with him, I fell in love with him."_

"_Is that supposed to make me feel better?" _I hiss through clenched teeth.

"_No, I just want you to know. I've been in love with him for a long time but I never did anything about it and I couldn't even tell my best friend. And even when you broke up with him, I never thought that maybe that meant I could try something. Because you're right, it's wrong and it does horrible damage to our friendship which is something with immeasurable value to me. But then you didn't come to school and with you gone, Jonathan finally noticed me."_

"_Good for you!"_I snap angrily.

"_I wasn't going to do anything about it but then you lied to me. I was so angry, Danny, and maybe I really only did it to get back at you in a way. But that's not what this is anymore. And then I just couldn't face you anymore because there you were, apologising to me and begging for forgiveness when what I did was way more despicable."_

I don't want her words to change anything, they probably won't. But then why do I suddenly feel like telling her that all is well? That's not the case at all. I'm just…

"_I'm not angry." _I say in a surprisingly soft voice.

"_Huh?" _Noa frowns in confusion.

"_I mean, I am but not because you're with Jonathan. I'm angry because I've been through every possible emotion these past months and I couldn't talk to you about it. That sucked. That hurt. But this entire time I thought it was because I did something wrong, that I brought that on myself, that it was my own damn fault for ending up alone. And now I find out that I went through that all by myself not because I'm a bad person but because of your own selfish reasons and that I can't forgive you. If you just told me from the start…" _I waver.

"_You wouldn't have been angry?"_

"_Of course I would still have been angry." _I scoff. _"But I would have appreciated your honesty and eventually I think we could have been able to get back to the way things were."_

"_And now?"_

"_I don't know."_

How come I always end up at the poor side of the deal? Even if I don't find it in my heart to forgive her, she'll go back to Beauxbatons with all our friends and her boyfriend while I'll be left here with an angry, gaping hole in my chest. She didn't dig it by herself though. She had help. From Jonathan, Harry, Cedric. I just wish I knew how to close it.

"_I want to say that it's okay, that I forgive you but I can't. At least not now. I'm still too angry over this. And I need time to figure out how I feel about all of it." _

She nods.

'"_I guess I should go then…"_ She says. _"But if somewhere in the near, or far future, you can see us mending things, will you let me know?"_

I agree and she leaves for France again. I can't help but feel this insane urge to go with her, to pretend I never left. But that's not possible. She and I are worlds apart now.

Though maybe she does deserve some credit for coming here today while she might just as well have made plans to snuggle up with Jonathan on a cheesy Valentine date.

"Where have you been?" Granger walks out of the Three Broomstick after another ten minutes.

I didn't even see her get in. Harry is walking behind her, sulking slightly. Wasn't he supposed to be on a romantic date with Cho right now? Judging by the look on his face I'm guessing something went wrong.

"I was right here." I shrug.

"Now you missed the whole thing." She huffs.

Right, she had something really important going on for which she needed Harry. When I asked her about it before, she just told me I would know when we went to the Three Broomsticks.

"And what exactly did I miss?"

"Harry did an interview."

"What?"

I look to my brother but all he does is shrug. I guess I will have to leave it to Granger to explain what I just missed.

"Care to elaborate?" I turn to her.

"I had set up a meeting with Rita Skeeter this afternoon."

I scoff. Rita Skeeter? Why would anyone voluntarily meet up with her? And if she's the one doing the interview with Harry, it's very likely to turn into another debacle about how Harry is a liar. I can't believe he agreed to do this in the first place.

"Why would you do that?" I glare at Granger.

"Because Harry deserves the chance to tell his side of the story."

"And you think Rita Skeeter will let him? You really think she's going to write down his real words and not whatever she thinks will sell?"

"Of course not." She says. "But that's exactly why I asked her."

Huh?

"Let's just say I know something about her that she doesn't want anyone to know."

"You blackmailed her?" I look at her with big eyes.

I have to say I'm slightly impressed. Didn't think she had it in her. But then again she was also the one to come with the idea of the DA. Maybe she's not as much of a goody-two-shoes as I thought.

"I wouldn't call it blackmail."

"Oh, it's blackmail." I grin. "So, she's going to write now what Harry really said?"

"What really happened during the final task last year." Granger nods.

This is good. This is really good. Finally Harry will get the chance to tell his side of the story, the true story since he was the only there to witness it all. I'm sure Voldemort isn't about to go tell his version of the facts. Though that would really solve the problem that people don't believe he's back.

"Why didn't you tell us sooner thought?"

I don't like being left out of the loop but I think Harry didn't know either. Maybe then he could have prepared himself for it. Oh, what if he said something stupid?

"I wasn't sure she'd show." Granger shrugs.

"So how did you do?" I turn back towards my brother who seems to be taken by surprise when I address him. Someone wasn't paying attention. "What did you say?"

"Just everything you already know." He says in a monotone voice. "You'll read the article when it appears in The Quibbler."

I want to ask what is wrong with him that makes him act so uncaring and annoyed, but I need to process first what he just said.

"The Quibbler? You mean that little tabloid Loony's father runs and only talks about the search of nonexistent creatures? Who's going to read that?!"

"You don't honestly think The Daily Prophet was going to print an interview with the Boy-Who-Lied, right? No, offence, Harry. Luna's father was the only one who would publish it. And don't call her Loony, Danny."

"You call her that too." I scoff.

She huffs but the fact that she doesn't disagree with me, tells me I'm right.

"So when do I get to read it, Harry?"

"Don't know." He shrugs.

"Okay, what is wrong with you?! Why are you acting like such a sulking child?!"

"I'm not sulking." Harry mutters.

"Oh, yeah. You're a real sunshine right now." I say sarcastically.

But Harry still doesn't tell what's wrong with him. Fine, if he doesn't want to tell me, he doesn't have to. But he can't pretend that he's not annoyed at something.

"Anyway, Luna said she'd let us know when it gets published." Granger switches the topic again.

"Okay." I nod.

We don't say anything else until we've returned to Hogwarts. Damn! Now I didn't find out who was with Cedric.

Only the next morning did I find out what had Harry in such a bad mood yesterday. I was late at the breakfast table because I just couldn't will myself to leave the warm comfort of my bed, but I still caught the end of the conversation between Harry and Granger.

"So then she jumps up and says 'I'll see you around, Harry' and runs out of the place! I mean, what was that all about? What was going on?" Harry looks at Granger as though she may be holding the answer.

"My guess is we're talking about Cho?" I say to her when I sit down next to her.

She nods as an answer to me and then turns to Harry.

"Well, I'm sorry, Harry, but you were a bit tactless." She says sadly.

"Me, tactless?"

Yeah, that's a real shocker, isn't it?

"One minute we were getting on fine, next minute she was telling me that Roger Davies asked her out and how she used to go and snog Cedric in that stupid teashop – how was I supposed to feel about that?"

Wait, back up. What did he just say? Cedric and Cho snogging?! When? Where? I'm going to kill that tramp! But the girl he had been with yesterday was blond, right? Two-timing asshole! Oh, he's a dead too.

It takes Granger to elaborately explain to Harry that she was just trying to make him jealous and that he shouldn't have told Cho he wanted to meet Granger halfway through their date even though that was exactly what she asked of him, to realise I'm not supposed to be this bothered by the fact that he snogged Cho. So, what? He can snog the entire population of Hogwarts if he wants to, even the male part if he swings that way. It's none of my business anyway.

"Wait, can we go back to the Cho snogging Cedric part?" I ask him when I realise I'm not going to let go of this until I get a clear idea of what happened.

"Why?" Harry sighs exasperated. "They used to date last year so I guess it makes sense they kissed each other. Though I still don't see why she found it necessary to point that out."

"No, they didn't." I scoff.

By now it's becoming quite clear to me that Cho used to have thing for Cedric and probably still does even though I think she's also into Harry now. But as far as I know Cedric never answered those feelings.

"Euhm… yeah, they did, Danny. She told me." Harry gives me a suspicious look.

"Well, I asked Cedric what Cho was to him and I'm pretty sure he would have mentioned it if they used to be a couple."

Actually, I asked him if they were friends and he said no to that. But that would have been indeed the best opportunity to say 'Hey, guess what? The girl sucking face with your brother nowadays? Yeah, I used to do that with her too.'. It wouldn't have been that hard.

"Maybe he lied?" Harry suggested.

"He wouldn't lie." I scoff annoyed.

Annoyed because we're still talking about Cho and Cedric snogging even though I was the one who brought it up in the conversation anyway. Annoyed because Harry doesn't seem to believe what I'm saying. And annoyed because I'm actually bloody defending the git while I really shouldn't give a crap about who he's ever sucked face with.

"Right." Granger looks at me with a knowing smile on her face. What the hell is she smiling about?

I scoff one last time to announce once again how annoyed I'm feeling at the moment before shoving a toast down my throat. It's not because I feel irritated that I should starve.

I don't talk to Diggory or even see him during the days leading up to the Gryffindor-Hufflepuff Quidditch match. It's a good thing too since I wouldn't know what to say to him after our last conversation. Plus I'm still really pissed about him snogging Cho.

"You ready?" Harry asks me at breakfast the day of the game.

I shrug. I don't know. I feel ready I guess but at the same time I feel as if we're going to lose this game big time.

Weasley looks absolutely dreadful and Harry doesn't even dare ask him if he's ready for today. He's begged Angelina during the past days to let him resign from the team because he's not good enough for it. She continues to refuse, says we won't even stand a bloody chance if we need a new keeper. He's not really that bad. He's honestly not the one I'm worried about.

"Just catch the snitch real quick, okay?" Weasley tells me before shoving his plate with untouched food away from him.

"I'll try." I say because really that's all I can do.

The atmosphere in the changing rooms is tense as well. Angelina is practically biting her nails off right now. Alicia keeps going over every game plan we have. Me and Ginny wisely keep our mouths shut.

"Get the snitch as fast as you can, Danny." Angelina says to me while we're waiting for Lee to announce the Gryffindor team.

I sigh. Stop piling pressure onto me! It's already bad enough I have to replace Harry Potter, the greatest and youngest seeker this House has ever seen, I don't need people to start making me nervous. Because if they don't stop soon, I might actually miss the snitch.

"The Gryffindor Quidditch Team: the chasers; Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet and Ginny Weasley. Keeper: Ronald Weasley. The new beaters; Jack Sloper and Andrew Kirke. And the newest seeker: Danny Potter."

I paid Lee money not to say my full name.

We get on our brooms, fly into the air and do a small tour around the field before facing the Hufflepuff team in the middle. Cedric Diggory, their seeker, is hanging in the air right in front of me. He gives me a small smile but I just scoff and look away with a deeply etched frown on my face. Even if I have to break every bone in my body, there is no way I'm letting him catch the snitch before me.

When the Quaffle was thrown into the air and madam Hooch blew on her whistle to announce the start of the game, we started off well. Angelina quickly caught it and flew to the Hufflepuff hoops. But before she got close enough to score that oaf Sloper actually hit her in the face with his bat. The crowd was roaring in laughter over it except of course my House. None of us saw anything funny in it.

The next ten minutes were the most agonising ones in my life. Hufflepuff kept scoring one goal after another. Even Lee couldn't say anything positive about this. Weasley missed every single Quaffle thrown in his direction and Kirke even managed to fall of his broom when there wasn't a bludger or player in sight. The fact that Slytherin was once again singing 'Weasley is our king' wasn't a great help either.

But then I finally saw it: the snitch. It was smack in the middle of the field, not too far away from Diggory. If I made a fast dive towards it now, I might be able to catch it before Diggory realises I've spotted it and goes after it as well. But of course Lee had to do his job.

"Potter has spotted the snitch. She's diving straight towards the ground. And Diggory is right next to her!"

He was. And he was pretty much flying at the same speed as me. We would probably catch the snitch at the same time. If he catches it before me, this season will be over for us. I couldn't let that happen.

The snitch is so close we could almost reach out towards it. And that's when I twist my broom around until I am flying straight into Diggory's side, planting my elbow in his stomach. It was a nasty move on my part but at least I got what I wanted: Diggory's attention off the snitch. He momentarily lost control over his broom since I might have hit a vital organ and since we were rather close to the ground, it caused him to crash.

"Ouch, Diggory makes a nasty fall after Potter drove into his side. That had to hurt."

Okay, so maybe I went a little overboard but at least he didn't catch the snitch.

Diggory eventually climbs back on his broom. See, he's fine. But instead of scanning the area again for the snitch he flies op to me.

"What the hell was that?!" He yells at me.

Luckily no one else can hear him over the wind and the chorus of 'Weasley is our king'.

"That is the way this game should be played." I say without looking at him. The bruise on his face from crashing to the ground looks kind of painful.

"Seekers don't need to knock each other of their brooms."

"I felt it was appropriate." I huff.

"You thought it was appropriate to smack me on the ground?!"

This is the first time I've actually seen him angry. I thought he would be a kind of handsome angry but instead I just feel really put out over the fact that he's yelling at me like this even though I totally deserve it. I don't even have time to take in how he looks.

"What are you doing to me?" He shakes his head and flies away again.

No, the right question would be 'What are _you _doing to _me_?'.

I didn't see the snitch again after that. I waited to spot it again but it was as if it had left the playing field. In the meantime we were 20 minutes in the game and 150 points behind. Even if I manage to catch the snitch now, it'll still be a tie. Which means I really have to catch it now or we're doomed.

There it is. A golden flicker in the rare ray of sunlight. From the corner of my eye I can see that Diggory has seen it as well. After what I just did, I shouldn't count on him going easy on me. Not that it's what he was doing before.

I block out Lee's droning voice and focus completely on the little ball I'm approaching. For a moment I even manage to forget that Diggory's flying in the same direction as me. I stretch out my hand before Cedric can catch up to me and my fingers close themselves around the little golden ball.

"Potter catches the snitch, only mere seconds after Hufflepuff scored another goal. 220-210. Hufflepuff wins."

We lost?! By a stupid 10 points?! Me catching the snitch didn't even do any good! I can see the disappointed faces of my team mates and the members of our House in the tribune. I'm sure my facial expression is quite similar. I can't believe we lost.

"I can't believe we only lost by ten points." Alicia says afterwards.

10 point or 100 points, what's the difference? We still lost.

"There's no way we'll win from Ravenclaw." A defeated Angelina slumps down on the bench in the changing room.

Unfortunately, she's right. The Gryffindor team is done for this year.

I don't talk to anyone when I arrive at the tower. Instead I quickly go up to my dorm and crawl under my blanket. What an awful day this has been.

The good thing about having a lot of mood swings is that I just need one good thing to get me back in high spirits. And unfortunately for me that only happened a few days later.

Me, Harry, Granger and Weasley were sitting at the breakfast table when suddenly an owl landed in front of Harry. It wasn't an owl I recognised so the letter it brought couldn't have been from anyone of the family. Harry also looked at the bird as if he was convinced it had landed in front of the wrong person. But the letter was clearly addressed to him.

"Well? Open it!" I nudge him.

Before he can even open the letter, five more owls show up, all with letters for Harry.

"Why are all these owls here?" He wonders.

"It's the article. Luna wrote that her dad published it in this week's issue." Granger looks up from her own letter. 'She says she send you some copies."

One of the owls carries a package and before Harry can give me permission, I've already opened it and pulled out 5 copies of this week's Quibbler. Harry's face is staring back at me from the cover with big letters written across it.

_HARRY POTTER SPEAKS OUT AT LAST:_

_THE TRUTH ABOUT HE WHO MUST NOT BE NAMED_

_AND THE NIGHT I SAW HIM RETURN_

This could not have come at a better moment. With Umbridge installing new rules every few seconds and the ministry letting dangerous Death Eaters escape from Azkaban, some of the students might actually want to read what Harry has to say.

I read the whole article and once I'm done with it I can't help but beam with pride at my brother. The article has Harry written all over it. Every word is spoken with sincerity and I can just tell from the pages that these are his real sentences. He doesn't really say anything new in it, at least not for me but I know people will want to read this. They all agree to the fact that he's lying and crazy but they never actually heard what he had to say before.

"This is really good, Harry." I smile at him.

He doesn't respond. Instead he seems too distracted by all the students staring at the immense amount of owls there are now sitting around Harry. It even draws the attention of the teachers' table and soon Umbridge is making her way over to see what the great fuss is about.

"Why are there so many owls?" She glares at Harry.

"Is getting mail a crime now?" Weasley grumbles but she chooses to ignore it. Instead her eyes land on the magazine I'm holding in my hands.

"I did an interview." Harry simply replies to her and actually reaches a copy out to her.

Her eyes almost bulge out of her eye sockets once she read the headline.

"D-detention, Potter!" She stutters out an angry howl.

And when Umbridge can do nothing else but walk back to her table and glare at you, you know you've hit her hard.

How hard exactly was made clear to us when she came up with a new decree that banned the Quibbler from Hogwarts grounds and that said every student in possession of a copy would be punished for it.

"So much for letting people know." Harry sighs when he read the decree.

"Oh, don't you understand , Harry? She couldn't have done us a bigger favour. By banning it, everyone will want to read it." Granger smiles.

"Really?" Harry doesn't seem too convinced.

"Of course," I grin. "People want to break rules."

And they did. By the end of the week almost every student had gotten their hands on a copy. Luna said the Quibbler never had a better selling edition. I was shocked! Students would transfigure their copy to make it seem like a book or Quidditch magazine that would only show it's true content to the owner. People would whisper more obviously in the presence of Harry but this time they weren't hostile, more curious and excited.

The best part by far was how Malfoy, Goyle and Crabbe would glare at Harry with more anger than usually. He revealed the names of the Death Eaters present at the graveyard that night, including their fathers.

"I don't see why they don't just come up and hex me."

"Because they can't." I smile. "Then they would be admitting they read the article."

See why that's one of the good parts?

I'm also getting excited because the moon cycle needed for my Veritaserum to ripe will be over in a few days. Soon I'll be able to submit myself to telling an awful lot of embarrassing stories but I'll also gain that much desired will power and mental discipline.

"Danny!"

No! He was doing so well! He hadn't spoken to me for almost two weeks. Two very relaxing weeks during which I didn't have to worry about what Cedric Diggory meant with this or that.

But ignoring him when he's clearly calling out to me in front of the Great Hall would be mean. And I shoved the guy off his broom. I think I'm already over the limit of shit he's willing to take from me.

"Yes?" I sigh annoyed when he stands in front of me.

He doesn't say something immediately. Instead he grabs something out of his bag and shoves it into my hands. When I look at it I'm once again greeted with the familiar photo of Harry on the Quibbler's cover.

"You do know having one in your possession is against the rules, don't you, Head Boy?"

"Did you read it?" He asks me.

"Of course I read it. It's Harry's article."

Duh.

"I meant the rest of the Quibbler." He sighs.

"No." I laugh. "I'm not particularly interested in the hunt for the Crumple-Horned Snorkacks."

He sighs annoyed and rips the copy back out of my hands. Is he upset because I don't believe in the existence of creatures that don't exist? I never really quite pictured him a someone who shared Luna's love for Nargles.

He starts to angrily flip the pages until he finds the article he was apparently looking for and shoves it back in my hands.

"Read it." He commands.

"Wha-"

I'm once again greeted with a familiar face in the Quibbler. A short article on page 9 is adorned with a picture of Cedric.

I look back up at the live version of the guy standing in front of me. He point to the article again. So I look back down and start to read.

_Cedric Diggory is a seventh-year student at Hogwarts but most of us know him as the second Hogwarts champion from last year's Wizarding Tournament. And he too wants to shed some light on what happened in July. _

_**You were at the graveyard with Harry Potter last year?**_

_I was. When we both reached for the cup, it turned out to be a portkey and brought us to that graveyard instead of to the finish line._

_**Could you tell us what happened there?**_

_I don't remember much of it. I got knocked out rather quickly. But I do remember that Harry told me we had to get out of there, that __he __was there. He must have meant you-Know-Who. And I also remember a voice, a cold cruel voice that seemed to come out of nowhere. It ordered to kill me._

_**But you are not dead. How could you be alive if you claim to have faced the darkest wizard of all times?**_

_I didn't face him. Like I said, I was unconscious. But Harry wasn't. I'll never fully understand how we got out but I know I owe my life to Harry Potter. _

_**And you believe his story?**_

_I do. Because Harry Potter is an honest and brave person. Why would he lie about something like this?_

"Did you… do this… for me?" I look up at him once I've read the entire article.

"Harry is an okay guy but I sure didn't do it for him." He admits.

I look at him with disbelief and confusion. For me? Why would he do that?

"Look, Danny," He sighs. "I'll never really understand what goes on in that head of yours. I don't understand why the article from this summer is standing like a wall between us. But what you said was right. I didn't stand up for him that time and made it sound like I too thought he was insane. I know you said I couldn't change the written press and once again you were right. The Daily Prophet wouldn't publish a correction but then Luna Lovegood told me The Quibbler was doing an article on Harry's side of the story and that it might be a good idea to have an article about me as well. I thought once you read it, you might be a little more forgiving. But of course you didn't read it because who in his right mind would read the rest of The Quibbler?"

I honestly stopped listening once he said he didn't understand me. I was too shocked by the article in my hands. Suddenly I was overcome with this urge to do something. So without thinking much more of it, I roughly grabbed the back of Cedric's head and pushed my lips against his.

I wound my arms around his neck and kissed him as thought my life depended on it.

And then I realised I was kissing Cedric Diggory in front of the Great Hall while I've been swearing by all that is holy that there was nothing between me and him.

I quickly pushed him off me and stared at him with big eyes. What the hell did I just do that for? That only complicates things!

Not being able to look him in the eye, I grabbed my bag which I had dropped when I had been desperately trying to wrap my arms around Cedric and left for class.

_I guess the kiss was long overdue after 17 chapters of this story and 16 of the previous one._

_Oh, and the girl with Cedric at Hogwarts wasn't Noa but Luna Lovegood._


	19. The Boy in my Head

_This chapter is a little shorter than usually but I just wanted to update it the way it is now. I like the way this chapter ends so I didn't want to add other scenes to it. Tell me what you think of it._

_A big thank you is owed to __**swimmergirl22, Just Another Aceves, xXMizz Alec VolturiXx **__and __**Prettylittleliarxxx**__ for reviewing! Thank you!_

Chapter 19

I couldn't face him after that. I didn't know what to say. I didn't know how to act. So I figured the best way to avoid any contact with him was by not going anywhere I might run into him. Meaning that for every meal I went to the kitchens instead of the Great Hall and I raced back to the common room after classes because heaven forbid, I might run into him in the hallway.

I know it's stupid and juvenile but what else am I supposed to do? I can't really tell him once again that I don't have feelings for him because me trying to shove my tongue down his throat kind of said the opposite.

Of course the million dollar question right now is 'Why the hell did I kiss him?'. I wish I could just say it's because I'm a horny teenager and my hormone level had gotten so high I would have jumped anyone's bones. But I'm afraid he'll see right through that lie.

"Are you coming?" Harry looks at me.

"Oh. Euhm… you see, I kind of can't make it to today's DA meeting." I say sheepishly.

"What?" He frowns. "Why not?"

"I've got other plans."

I really do. Tonight is the moment I'm going to test my Veritaserum with Wayne. But we're only meeting up after the DA meeting is over so I could go but I just really don't want to. Because there's a big chance of me running into Cedric Diggory there.

"Something illegal?"

"No… I think."

He gives me a suspicious look but ends up leaving for the meeting without me anyway.

I really shouldn't be thinking about Cedric Diggory now anyway. I should focus on clearing me mind. That's what Harry's supposed to do as well before going to bed every night but since he tells us every morning what weird dream he's had about Voldemort, I don't think he's really trying his best.

When the DA meeting will be over in ten minutes, I grab Harry's cloak and go to the Room of Requirement. I know for a fact that after the meeting those students will be roaming the hallways and that includes Cedric. He can't run into me if he can't see me. I realise I'm putting way too much effort in avoiding that guy but so what?!

Wayne is standing by himself in front of the room which is a wall right now of course. Even do I trust Wayne, I don't think it's a good idea to show him the invisibility cloak. So I take it off and put it away before turning around the corner.

"Hey."

"Jezus, Danny!" He turns around. "I thought you were Filch or something."

I will try not to take that as an insult.

"I still don't understand what exactly you're trying to do." He says to me when we enter the Room of Requirement.

"I want to be able to resist the Imperius Curse and since you didn't want to use it on me, this is the alternative to gain the needed will power."

Actually the Imperius Curse was already an alternative for learning Legilimens but I couldn't tell Wayne that either. I'm not even supposed to know myself. Plus, being able to resist one of the Unforgivables would definitely be beneficial in the upcoming war.

"So what exactly do I have to do?" He asks me when we both stand over the cauldron with a perfect clear liquid.

"Just ask me anything you like, preferably things I wouldn't want to tell you normally." I begrudgingly tell him.

If he asks me things I would have no problem talking about usually, I wouldn't try and fight it.

"And I think it goes without saying that whatever I tell you does not leave this room." I glare at him.

"Understood."

I grab a little vial from the table behind us and fill it with a small dose of Veritaserum.

"Well, bottoms up.' I smile at Wayne before chugging the potion.

I'm pleasantly surprised that it doesn't only look like water but also tastes like it. This is probably one of the only potions that doesn't taste like something that's been thrown up several times before.

"Do you feel any different?" He asks me.

I shake my head. There's nothing weird about it. I feel the way I always do.

"What's your name?"

"Danielle Lillian Potter." I immediately respond.

Oh, it works. There's no way I'd ever introduce myself by using my full name.

"Okay, ask away."

"What should I do about Romy?"

Maybe I should have anticipated this question but I was kind of hoping he was already over the girl.

"Stop pining after her. You're just her little play thing. You don't mean anything to her, she just like the attention. So don't pay her any attention anymore. It's not going to help you get the girl but in time you'll find yourself a better one."

That was a little blunt. Apparently Veritaserum gives you the harsh truth, not the sugar-coated one.

He looks so disappointed and hurt. Well, I wasn't the one who broke him like this, that bitch Romy is. Maybe I should give that girl a piece of my mind. Because Wayne is my friend, one of my only friends and nobody should get away with hurting him.

"I'm sorry." I tell him honestly. "But it's the truth."

"I know." He sighs.

We stand in silence for a good minute, not knowing what to say. That doesn't happen to me a lot but right now I'm afraid I'll blab out something really embarrassing once I open my mouth.

"So why weren't you at the DA meeting?" He suddenly asks me.

"Because I'm avoiding Cedric Diggory." I admit.

I was not supposed to say that. I look at him in shock that I just said that and he kind of has the same expression on his face.

"I guess the potion really does work." Wayne grins. "So why are you avoiding Diggory?"

"Because I kissed him."

Stop talking, Danny! This Veritaserum thing was a totally idiotic idea. I don't want extreme will power anymore.

"You kissed him?" He gawks.

Even though that was kind of a rhetorical question, the Veritaserum doesn't get that and forces a 'yes' out of me.

"But that's a good thing."

"How?" I scoff.

Seriously, kissing Cedric was about the stupidest thing I could have done.

"Aren't you in love with him?"

It's a freaking question which means my answer will have to come in a few seconds. I clasp my hand in front of my mouth because I don't want the one word to slip off my lips. But of course Veritaserum will not shut up.

"Yes." My muffled answer comes from behind my hand.

He smiles and I really just want to hit him right now for asking me those questions. I wish he just asked about the time I got so drunk I tried to hit on a professor.

"Then I don't understand what the problem is, Danny. Why isn't it a good thing that you're in love with him and he's in love with you?"

"Because I'm a terrible person." The words just simply slip out.

"What?" He frowns.

"I'm not saying I'm evil," I continue. "But I'm not exactly the epitome of good. And Cedric is. He deserves someone who is kind and gentle and who doesn't drive him insane. Someone who doesn't shove him off his broom or poison him."

"You did that?"

"Yes." I whine.

"Why?"

Oh, God, when does this Veritaserum loses its effect?!

"Because I didn't want him to catch the snitch and also because I was angry that he used to snog and date Cho while he told me she was nothing. And because I was making a love potion to control the prefects in this castle but while I was looking for the ingredients in Snape's supply room, Cedric walked in and I dropped a vial without knowing what it was."

He's staring at me now as if I'm a creature from a foreign planet.

"Don't ask." I warn him when he opens his mouth again.

He already knows way more than I ever wanted him to. I think it's safe to say that he is now the person who knows the most about me. I mean, I admitted to him that I'm falling in love with Cedric Diggory before I even admit it to myself. He knows more than me.

"You're wrong." He says.

"About what?"

"You've got a good heart. Morally, you're usually way of track but you are not a terrible person. And did you ever think about the fact that what Diggory truly deserves isn't what you want him to have but is to have the girl he loves, love him back?"

"No." I'm forced to answer.

"Well," He sighs. "I think we're done for today."

"Wait, what?" I ask him when he's walking back to the door.

"The Veritaserum will lose its effect soon and you have a love confession to work on."

"No, I don't." I scoff.

"Why not? Are you afraid?"

I don't feel the impulse to answer his every question truthfully anymore.

"It doesn't work anymore." I say.

"I know. But I still know the answer." He smiles before leaving the room.

On my way back to the common room under the cloak, I couldn't forget about what Wayne had said and what I had been forced to say. When did I fall in love with Cedric? Maybe only just when he did the article or maybe before that, when he comforted me after the fight with Harry. Or maybe it was a slow process that might have even started last year. Why didn't I see this sneak up on me? I could have stopped it.

The next day I sat in Charms next to Harry who actually found himself as the subject of Cho's glances.

"Have you talked?" I nudge him and point at Cho.

"Yeah, she said I was brave for doing the article." He smiles stupidly.

"Good for you." I lie.

I've decided that even if she is Harry's first crush and first kiss, she doesn't deserve him. I won't interfere but that's only because I think it's only a matter of time before the two of them break up. Harry just doesn't need such an emotional and pushy girl. He has more than enough worries on his mind.

Harry still isn't focusing enough on the Legilimens and I think it is about time that I prove to him just how much of an annoying and persistent sister I can be.

When Harry told us he was going to bed, I actually followed him up to his dorm.

"What are you doing?" Harry asks me appalled.

"I'm helping you." I simply say.

"With what exactly?"

"Well, I figured you'd be able to put on your PJ's yourself but if you need help with that I guess I could." I shrug.

"What?! No! What is it you think I need help with?"

"With the one thing you are miserably failing at: clearing your head at night."

"I'm pretty sure you can't help me with that."

"Oh, I'm looking forward to proving you wrong." I shove him into his room. "Now get changed and in your bed."

He looks really uncomfortable now. There might be something he wants to say but he isn't opening his mouth.

"Seriously? I am your sister. There's no need to get self-conscious around me." I sigh.

But he still has that same freaked out expression on his face.

"Fine, I'll turn around."

I hear the rustling of clothes behind me while I am forced to look at a spot on the wall.

"Harry?" I eventually ask him when I don't hear anything anymore.

"You can turn back around I guess."

He's already lying in his bed and seems to be annoyed by my presence in his dormitory. I can understand this feels like an invasion of his privacy but he brought this on himself. He should have put more effort in the Legilimens training.

"Good." I say and sit in front of him on his bed. "What do you usually do to clear your head before sleeping?"

The sheepish look he gives me makes it clear to me that in these past weeks he hasn't even tried to clear his mind.

"Harry!" I snap angrily.

"I know," He sighs. "But it is so hard to clear your head and not think of anything when there are so many things to worry about, to get angry about."

"You're angry?"

"All the time."

"At what?" I ask him.

"At everything." He admits.

I'm angry too. I know I can't possibly compare it to all the rage he feels right now but I feel it too. It's my anger like at Cedric for messing with my head, at Noa for lying to me, at Jonathan for hooking up with my best friend, at Harry because he doesn't see things the way I do and at the world for being such a crappy place. But there's also anger inside of me that is not my own. And for me to be able to sense Harry's anger means he's probably boiling over with it.

"Just don't think about that anger right now. Think about the good things." I say.

"That's still not clearing my mind."

"It's a start. Think about something that makes you feel carefree."

"Like what?"

It pains me to realise he can't come up with something like that on his own anymore.

"Close your eyes." I say.

"Why?" He sighs.

"Just lie back, close your eyes and shut up."

He still does what I tell him to. He always does.

"Just picture yourself on your broom, flying high across the field. No Quidditch game, just flying. No noise besides the sound of the wind. It is peaceful. It's quite. It's nice. And you have nothing to worry about."

I could see Harry relaxing. Didn't think that would actually work. And it probably would have helped him if this roommates didn't pick out that moment to enter the dorm.

"Danny?" Dean frowns when he sees me sitting on Harry's bed.

"Hey." I reply simply.

"What are you doing in our dorm?" He asks me.

"It doesn't concern you."

"But you're in our dorm." Seamus pitches in.

"So?"

I don't like Seamus. I mean why would I like the guy who called Harry out on his 'lie' at the beginning of the year the way Seamus did?

"She was just helping me with something."

"In our dorm?"

These guys just keep repeating themselves.

"It is none of your business. " I snap at Seamus.

"There's no need to be hostile to Seamus, Danny." Harry sighs.

I know Irish boy eventually came around and was apparently present during the last DA meeting but that doesn't mean everything is suddenly okay.

I get up from Harry's bed because the whole exercise is ruined now anyway and go stand in front of Seamus.

"Harry may be forgiving you your previous delusion but I am not." I sneer at him before leaving the dorm.

That night I had a weird dream and for once it was my own. I was walking through the hallways of Beauxbatons again but was surrounded by Hogwarts students. And when I got to my dorm, Cedric Diggory was sitting on my bed. And when I asked him why he wasn't in Cho's room, he kissed me. And then I woke up.

"What the hell?!" I punch my pillow after one very confusing dream.

Why am I dreaming about him? He can't even leave me alone in my subconscious?

I took a walk around the grounds later in the afternoon to clear my mind but somehow my feet found their way to the Quidditch pitch. It makes sense, it's one of the greatest places at Hogwarts. What I hadn't anticipated was to see yellow dots fly around the field in the distance. The Hufflepuff team is training.

Now I could just turn around and walk back to the castle. Cedric wouldn't even know I was here. There's no way he can spot me when he's flying up there. But maybe I should just stop running and face the bull head-on.

By the time I get to the actual playing field, I'm already regretting the fact that I didn't just turn around. It's too late now anyway. It seems like the training is reaching its end and by now Cedric has spotted me standing by the side lines.

When all the other players touch the ground, they go to the changing rooms while Cedric walks over to me. Calm down. What's the worst that can happen? I just have to make sure I don't lose my head again and get caught by the desire to kiss him again because it's definitely there. Why did he have to look so damn good in Quidditch equipment?

"You've been avoiding me." He says when he stops in front of me.

"Yeah." I admit.

"Are you here to tell me once again that you don't have feelings for me? Because that's getting really old." He sighs.

"I'm not." I say. "Because that would be a lie."

He looks at me in surprise.

"Have you finally reached the stage of acceptance?" He cocks an eyebrow.

"Not acceptance. Realisation."

He lets out a humourless laugh.

"Right, because that would be way too early." He says sarcastically. "So all I have to do is wait another year?"

"Then why don't you just stop waiting?" I ask him, genuinely wondering.

"Because I'm scared."

"What?"

"I know you are too but it's a different kind. You're afraid to fall in love with me because you might lose yourself in it. I'm afraid that if I let you go, if I let this go, I'll never find it again."

"Would that be a bad thing?"

Because honestly these feelings just mess everything up.

"It is better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all."

"Did you just quote Moulin Rouge?" I smile.

"Actually I quoted Alfred Lord Tennyson. The quote from Moulin Rouge is 'The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return', which is also true but that doesn't matter."

"No, what matters is that can quote Moulin Rouge. I have to say it's a little worrisome."

"It's a great movie." He defends himself. "Not to mention it's a great love story."

"It's a tragic story." I scoff.

Why are we discussing a muggle movie?

"Ours doesn't have to be." He suddenly says.

"We don't have a love story and definitely not a great one."

"No, because for us to have an actual story you would have to admit and not just realise your feelings and you have to not run away when you kiss me."

"I…"

I want that. I mean, obviously not the whole tragedy thing but I want Cedric.

"I will ruin you."

"What?"

"I am not good for you. I will drive you insane."

"That's what you've been worried about? You are more than good enough for me. I don't know about the driving insane part because you probably will. Didn't you listen to anything I said? I told you that you break hearts and you will most likely end up crushing mine."

"And you're okay with that?" I ask him in disbelief.

Who would be okay with that?

"I accept it."

"Do you realise what you're doing?"

I don't think he does.

"Yes. I am giving you my heart on a silver plate and you can do whatever you want with it. Just don't give it back."

"I will wreck you."

And I don't want to.

He tenderly takes my face in both of his hands and looks me in the eye.

"It will be worth it."

He gently kisses me. And I am done trying to push him away.


	20. Bitch-slapping Umbridge

_How great would it be if I actually got 100 reviews for this story? That would totally make my day. Now you know what to do to get me in high spirits :)_

_Thank you __**Just Another Aceves, xXMizz Alec VolturiXx, BlueRose22 **__and __**swimmergirl22**__ for reviewing! Meant a great deal to me!_

_As Just Another Aceves pointed out to me, people on Veritaserum are not supposed to have a casual conversation like Danny did in the previous chapter. But since that would make the scene a bit more boring, I gave my own spin to it. If that clashes with your inner OCD, you could also just imagine Danny didn't make the Veritaserum as perfect as she thinks she did. ;)_

_I hope you'll enjoy this chapter as well._

Chapter 20

Up until now the Veritaserum thing isn't going too well. I've been under the influence of it two days in a row now. And so far I've spilled every little secret I've ever had, big and small. And I haven't been able to resist it even once. I'm starting to think this was once again a stupid idea.

"Let's say that's enough for today." Wayne sighs. "It's going to take a while to get rid of the image you just painted me."

"Well that was your own damn fault. Who asks someone on Veritaserum what the grossest thing was they ever saw?"

"I didn't think you ever saw two centaurs mate." He shivers. "And could describe it with so much detail."

"It was on a documentary." I shrug.

"Why were you even watching that?"

"It was very hard to look away."

"Let's just not talk about that anymore." He says.

We had to get going soon anyway. There's another DA meeting that starts in fifteen minutes and it would be very unfortunate if someone saw us here. So we leave the Room of Requirement, walk around on the seventh floor for a good ten minutes and then return to the room.

"Please, please, please, don't make us work on the Patronus charm today." I whisper under my breath when we enter the room.

"Today we'll be working on the Patronus charm." Harry says.

Crap.

I don't even try. I've been in this position countless times before, I just cannot conjure a Patronus. Maybe because there aren't a lot of things filled with happiness these days. I've thought about every possible imaginable thing and nothing. Nada.

"You haven't even pulled out your wand." Harry says to me while making his rounds.

"What's the use?" I shrug. "We both know I can't do it."

"But if you tried…"

"I've tried enough and I've come to terms with the fact that I will never conjure a Patronus."

What do you need one for anyway? All it does is scare off dementors and sends messages and can be a guiding light and protect you. Okay, so it would be useful but most witches and wizards can't conjure one. I shouldn't feel too bad about it. Right?

"I just can't think of anything happy enough." I admit to him.

"It takes a while to figure out what the right memory is." He tells me.

"What's yours?" I ask him after realising I have no idea what he thinks of while conjuring his Patronus.

"I think about our family."

"You… think about me?"

"Well, not just you. I think about mom, dad, Sirius and Remus. But yes, you as well."

"And that's enough?"

It's not even a memory. How does it work then?

"Yes. The first time was difficult but after you've been able to do it once, it gets easier. I hardly have to think about it anymore."

"So after I do it once, it'll get easier?"

He nods and then leaves to check on the other people.

Maybe it's worth a shot. I've never tried it by thinking about my family before. I was stuck on finding a good memory. I didn't think that maybe it didn't have to be a memory.

So I pull my wand out and think about the people I love the most, my family. A white fog starts to spread out of the tip of my wand. And then nothing. No Patronus, just fog. If even this doesn't make me happy enough, then what will?

"That's it for today." Harry eventually says. "See you again next week."

I put my useless wand away after he says that. I still have to work on some papers for school so some free time would definitely help. I haven't been able to do much work lately with my Veritaserum project going on.

Afraid I might be asked to clean up, I sneak out of the room before Harry can even look in my direction. There's no way I'm helping out when this lesson had been completely futile to me.

Before I can make it to the sixth floor, an arm grabs me and pulls me in a secluded alcove. I want to scream bloody murder at the idiot who thought it was a great idea to startle me when I feel lips pressed against my neck.

"Don't surprise me like that!" I scoff.

"Sorry." He mumbles against my neck but his apology doesn't sound very sincere to me.

"Cedric!" I push him off me.

"What?" He frowns.

"You can't just kiss me whenever you want to." I point an accusing finger at him.

"Sure I can." He grins and to prove his point, he presses his lips against mine.

I should push him away again, I really should if I want to make a point. But more than proving me right and him wrong, I want to feel those lips against mine. So I just pull him closer to me and follow him in the heated embrace.

"You were saying?" He cocks an arrogant eyebrow at me.

"Shut up!" I snap.

"Oh, come on." He places a hand on either side of my head. "Being able to kiss you any time I want is one of the many perks of having you as my girlfriend."

I frown.

"I don't like that." I say.

"Don't like what?"

"What you just said."

"That you're my girlfriend?"

I nod.

"It sounds so possessive." I say with clear distain in my voice.

"You're joking, right?" He sighs.

"This," I point to my expression. "is my serious face."

"Please don't tell me you have a label issue because I can barely handle your commitment issues."

"I do not have label issues nor do I have commitment issues. I would just prefer it if from now on you would refer to me as the girl you're dating." I huff.

"How is that different?"

"Well, for one, it doesn't have the word 'mine' in it."

It's not because we're dating now that suddenly he has deserved the right to call me his. In no way do I belong to him.

"Then I'll just call you the girlfriend from now on."

"The girlfriend?" I frown.

"Yes, because like it or not that is what you are but without the possessive noun."

I have to think about that one.

"Okay." I eventually say.

I could live with that.

"And I would love for the girlfriend to sit with me at dinner tomorrow evening." Cedric says.

What? I don't think I'm very comfortable with that idea. Because one: I'll have to sit with all his super duper popular friends, and two: every girl in Hogwarts with functioning vision will give me the stink eye.

"I don't think that's a good idea." I shake my head.

"Why not?"

"People will know we're dating."

"I'm not seeing the problem."

"I kind of want to keep this as non-public knowledge."

He suddenly pulls away from me as if he just got burned. Did I say something wrong?

"You don't want to let people know were dating?" He frowns.

"It's not really any of their business." I say.

He lets out a humourless laugh and gives me a rather cold look. Well, cold for him anyway. If Snape looked at me like that I would almost think he was warming up to me.

"So basically nothing's changed." He says distantly.

"Of course things have changed. I just let you kiss me."

That was a big step for me.

"You don't let me call you my girlfriend, you don't want people to know we're dating and now I should even be thanking you that you let me kiss you?!"

"I am not saying you should thank me. But why does it matter to you that people know?" I scoff.

"Because you clearly don't want them to. Makes me wonder if you're even taking us seriously."

Of course I do. Does he really think I would have driven myself insane over what this all meant if it wasn't something important to me?

"I just don't want people to act weird about it." I eventually say.

He gives me a confused look.

"Last time when people only thought we were dating, people stared and not with a curious look. More like 'you stole our Cedric, we're going to kill you at midnight'."

"So basically you're worried about what people will say about you and me?"

I didn't nod or agree with what he said but I wasn't exactly denying it either. People talk about me behind my back all the time simply because I'm Harry's sister. They even talk about Wayne because he's my friend. Can you imagine the mean things they'd say once they hear their Golden Boy is dating me?

And instead of sharing my worries, he laughs. He is freaking laughing at me.

"Stop laughing!" I hiss angrily at him.

"I'm sorry." He laughs. "That's just so very out of character for you."

I am not pleased at all with him mocking me so I huff and look away. Stupid idiot is laughing at me because I'm actually worried about him. He's been praised by these people his whole life. I don't think he realises what a burden it can be to be associated with the Potters these days.

Cedric then gently grabs my chin and makes me look at him.

"You don't have to worry about me, Danny. It doesn't matter what they say. Not as long as you're… the girl I'm dating."

I smile.

"Sit with me at dinner."

"Fine," I give in. "But not tomorrow."

"Why not?"

"Because I should at least tell Harry about us before we openly hold hands."

"We'll hold hands?" He cocks an eyebrow.

"Yeah." I smile at him before pulling him after me out of the alcove and make him walk me back to my common room.

With classes and all, I don't really have the chance to talk to Harry about it. I figured I would just do it in the common room after dinner. I would have to do it soon because Cedric kept throwing me pointed looks all throughout dinner. And I don't want us to get into another fight. We've been dating for a total of four days now, during which we've already had two fights. That can't be healthy.

"Where are you going?" I say in surprise when Harry gets up suddenly and walks in the direction of the portrait hole. Why is he leaving the common room?

"I have to go to Snape." He says.

"Another 'Remedial Potions'?"

"It's not like I want to." He sighs and turns back around.

"I'll walk with you." I get up from the couch and follow him through the portrait hole."

"Do you have to be somewhere as well?" Harry asks me on our way to the dungeons.

"Is that your way of asking me whether I did something stupid enough to get myself a detention?" I smile.

"I'm just wondering why you're heading for the dungeons as well."

"I have to tell you something." I say.

"Something bad?" He frowns.

"No, something good. At least it's supposed to be."

I know Harry hasn't been too big a fan of Cedric in the past but that's just because he took Harry's crush to the Yule Ball last year and they competed against each other in the Triwizard Tournament. Also Harry didn't want Cedric to join the DA at first. That was kind of also why I did bring him in. But that's because I told Harry that lie, right?

"Just so you know, I lied when I told you Cedric Diggory was stalking me."

He stops walking and looks at me.

"What? Then why did you tell me that?"

Well, there was a reason I didn't tell him the truth.

"It… doesn't matter but just keep that in mind."

"Okay? So whatever it is you want to talk about has something to do with him?"

"We're dating." I simply say.

"You are?" He looks at me in surprise.

"Yes." I nod.

"Really?"

"Is that so hard to believe?" I scoff annoyed.

"No, it's just that you've been denying it for so long now, I was starting to think you really hated his guts."

"It's a fine line." I mutter.

"Well, good. Good for you." He eventually says.

"Good for me? What kind of an opinion is that?"

"Do you want me to have an opinion?"

"Yes. Of course I do. I'm telling you something really personal and I want you to have an opinion about it. I want you to have one about him. Do you think he's an okay guy or do you hate the idea of me dating him?"

"I think… he's much better than the kind of guys I imagined you with."

"… What? What do you mean with that?"

"It's just that I always thought you were more likely to date the worst guy in the building."

"And what does that mean?"

He's confusing me and I'm starting to think I should feel insulted by what he's saying.

"Look, it doesn't mean anything, Danny. I'm happy for you but I have to go now. Snape will kill me if I'm late."

"Okay."

What had I expected out of this conversation anyway? Pff, I really need to become friends with girls.

I was on my way back to the common room when I noticed a lot of commotion in the courtyard. Normally the halls are pretty quiet so close to curfew but there were a lot of students out right now. Makes me wonder what kind of juicy gossip is going on. And I take comfort in the fact that it can't be caused by Harry because he's getting his mind attacked by Snape right now.

I find Lee Jordan in the crowd and make my way over to him.

"What's going on?" I ask him.

He didn't answer me, instead he just pointed towards the centre of the courtyard which is where all the other students were staring at as well. In the middle of it stood an older woman clad in racks who was sobbing in such a pitiful manner I felt sorry for her and I'm definitely not a big fan of Trelawney who's got a knack for foretelling my brother's impending doom. But what could have caused a professor to fall apart like that where everyone could see her?

"No!" She shrieked desperately. "This cannot be happening… it cannot… I refuse to accept it!"

"You didn't realise this was coming?" An irritatingly calm and girly voice spoke in a belittling manner.

Unfortunately I'd recognise that horrid voice anywhere. I didn't have to see her toad face to realise what was going on.

"Umbridge is kicking her out?" I say in astonishment.

Lee nods. What?! When did she gain that authority?! I hate her stupid decrees!

"You c-can't!" Trelawney howls. "You c-can't sack me! I've b-been here sixteen years! H-Hogwarts is m-my h-home."

"It _was _your home," Umbridge says with clear enjoyment. "until an hour ago, when the Minister of Magic countersigned your Order of Dismissal. Now kindly remove yourself from this castle. You are embarrassing us."

"What a bitch." I mutter but Lee still heard it because he hums in agreement.

If McGonagall didn't suddenly show up to comfort the poor woman I would have done it myself. I felt really bad for her. It's not her fault she doesn't have the gift. I don't think anyone who taught the subject ever did. Else they wouldn't have needed to become a teacher.

"There, there, Sybill… calm down… blow your nose on this… it's not as bad as you think, now… you are not going to have to leave Hogwarts…" The Head of my House said to the sobbing lady who had launched herself in her arms.

"Oh, really?" Umbridge smiled. "And your authority for that statement is…?"

"That would be mine." A deep voice announced his arrival.

It's rather rare to see Dumbledore out of his office or the Great Hall. He looked almost out of place even though this is his school. I could tell from the surprised expression on Umbridge's face that she hadn't taken this into account.

"Yours, Professor Dumbledore? I'm afraid you do not understand the position. I have here an Order of Dismissal signed by myself and the Minister of Magic. Under the terms of Educational Decree Number Twenty-Three-"

Blablabla! How can she make a dramatic scene boring?!

"-to the standards required by the Ministry of Magic. I have decided that Professor Trelawney is not up to scratch. I have dismissed her." She says as though that is the end of the matter.

"You are quite right, of course, Professor Umbridge. As High Inquisitor you have every right to dismiss my teachers. You do not, however, have the authority to send them away from the castle. I am afraid that the power to do that still resides with the Headmaster, and it is my wish that Professor Trelawney continues to live at Hogwarts."

"Bitch-slap in your face!" I snicker and Lee joins in.

Trelawney thanks Dumbledore a few dozen times before letting McGonagall escort her back upstairs.

"And what," Umbridge narrows her eyes at the old coot I'm suddenly very fond of. "are you going to do with her once I appoint a new Divination teacher who needs her lodgings?"

Damn, she has a point.

"Oh, that won't be a problem." Dumbledore responds lightly. "You see, I have already found us a new Divination teacher, and he will prefer lodgings on the ground floor."

"You've found-?" I could tell by her squeaky voice that she was so losing her cool. "_You've _found? Might I remind you, Dumbledore, that under Educational Decree Number Twenty-Two-"

"The Ministry has the right to appoint a suitable candidate if – and only if – the Headmaster is unable to find one."

She should really learn her own petty little rules by heart. How does she expect us to follow them if she can't even remember them?

"And I am happy to say that on this occasion I have succeeded."

Which means he already saw this coming. Does that also mean he's got a back-up for every professor?

"May I introduce you?"

Dumbledore turns to the great doors that open and reveal… our new teacher, I guess. He's just a little more different than what I had in mind. For one, I expected to see someone with two legs, not the underside of a horse. Our new teacher is a centaur?! Oh, this is going to aggravate the toad to no end.

"Double bitch-slap." Lee says.

"Uhuh." I nod.

"This is Firenze." Dumbledore says happily as if he doesn't notice the look of horror on Umbridge's face. "I think you'll find him suitable."

When I get back to the common room with Lee, Trelawney's dismissal and Firenze's new position at Hogwarts is all anyone is talking about. That, and the fact that Firenze isn't a bad looking guy… for a centaur.

"I already don't like him." Lee sighs when we make it to the common room.

"Why? Because the entire female part of the Gryffindor House is or will be swooning all over him?" I say while sitting down next to him.

"I'm going to get competition from a freaking horse!"

"Aw, sweetheart," I smile. "You're not competition."

"Funny." He grumbles.

Harry is back in the common room sooner than I expected him to be. Apparently he and Snape witnessed the dramatic scene as well and it cut their session short.

The next day Lee's predication comes true. Girls who have Divination today suddenly look a lot fresher and made-up than usually.

"Have the girls all gone crazy?" Weasley grumbles at breakfast.

"Why do you say that?" I munch on my toast and don't even bother eating like a lady. "Because they aren't looking your way? That's not crazy, it's common sense and functioning eyes."

He gives me a sour look.

"Because they're all excited about Divination. That hasn't happened since first year."

"They're excited over the new professor, not the course." Granger says without even looking up from The Daily Prophet.

"Why?" Weasley honestly wonders out loud.

"Because if you look past the fact that he has hoofs, he's a rather attractive male. And for girls who have been surrounded with nauseating faces like yours for the past years, it's a nice change." I grin.

Again with the sour look. Has he no more comebacks? That's actually going to make this little game boring.

"Oh, by the way, congratulations, Danny." Granger suddenly turns to me and gives me a smile as if we've been friends for years. We've been something for years now but I wouldn't really call it friends. It comes with a swear word.

"Euhm… thanks?" I frown in confusion.

What the hell was she congratulating me for anyway? I know I'm pretty proud at myself for several things but I doubt she'd find any of it very admirable.

"Harry told me you and Cedric are dating now."

"What?!" I turn angrily to my brother.

Harry who has been very absent all morning, suddenly looks up with a vacant expression on his face.

"I'm sorry, was it a secret?"

"No, but that doesn't mean it's your friends' business." I scoff.

"I think it's great you two are together now." Granger is still smiling.

"I don't really care what you think!"

And for the rest of breakfast nobody says anything.

I'm not really angry that Harry told her even though it really isn't of any concern to her. But it just reminded me of the fact that soon a lot of other people will know. I can't really explain why but somehow that makes me very uncomfortable and on edge. And I don't like it one bit.

Knowing I'll have to sit at the Hufflepuff table at dinner with all of Cedric's too cool for school friends, made the day fly by and judging by the nerves who have made themselves a permanent home in my gut, I'd say it's dinner time. I don't really know what to expect either. Without a doubt those people have already gotten an opinion on me and that could be either good or bad. I'm rooting for good but we all know it probably isn't that option.

"There you are." Cedric smiles brightly at me when I approach the Great Hall. "I thought you might have changed your mind."

"Oh, I've changed it several times today and I do feel like I should once again inform you that this is a shitty idea." I grumble.

"You're just meeting my friends. Stop acting as if I've just proposed to overthrow the Ministry." He sighs.

"Well, sorry that I'm not taking this as lightly as you. They are all seventh year students with way more magical experience than me. If they decide to hex me, I'll be in the Hospital Wing for weeks."

"They're not going to hex you. That would be very… you of them and quite unsettling."

He grabs my hand and starts pulling me in the direction of the Great Hall.

"And you're holding my hand." I groan.

"You promised that, remember?" He smiles.

I had pleaded my case and it didn't do squat. So I was forced to let him guide me to the Great Hall. When we were halfway through the room, I could tell some people had noticed the fact that Cedric Diggory was holding my hand. It could all have been part of my paranoid imagination, but I swear there were people whispering about us.

In a way I was almost grateful when we sat down at the Hufflepuff table and he let go of my hand.

"Guys, this is Danny." Five pairs of eyes stare at me.

"Danny, these are my best friends."

They all looked like they just walked out of a beach wear catalogue. Seriously, people are not supposed to look like that in real life!

The boy sitting on my right introduced himself as Emmett Bellot. He had curly brown hair and a smile that totally explained why the entire female part of the Hufflepuff table was staring at him. He was a least a head shorter than Cedric which made it rather easy to look him in the eye.

The boy sitting across him, Nathan Hoggs, was blond and almost unhealthily pale. He barely looked me in the eye when Cedric introduced him to me. He seemed way too focused on his book to even acknowledge my presence. How rude. I didn't want to be here either but at least I was looking people in the eye.

Next to him sat two beautiful girls. One brunette, one blonde. The brunette, Bethany Lonnerthem or something like it, gave me a welcoming and almost blinding smile which instead of making me feel a little more at ease, made me wonder why the hell she was trying so hard.

The blond on the other hand, didn't try at all. This girl named Lori McDougall was full-out glaring at me and nobody seemed to notice. I mean, she is glaring at me, right? This isn't just my paranoid imagination again, is it?

I knew the last guy. Rolf Scamander plays on the Hufflepuff Quidditch team as beater. He's not that good but he's still a million times better than the losers we have now. He's also got a famous great-grandfather who used to be Headmaster at Hogwarts.

"Hi." I lamely say when the introductions were over.

First problem of the evening : what on earth do we talk about?

Luckily they all aren't the silent type and actually started attacking me with questions. They made me want to crawl under the table and wait until the earth quake of curiousness was over.

"What year are you in again? You look a bit young to be a fourth year."

"So you're Harry Potter's sister? What did you think of the article?"

"How did you and Cedric even meet anyway?"

"You play on the Gryffindor Quidditch team, right? You guys got crushed last game."

"How come you have only started attending this year?"

I had to give Cedric a pitiful look to make him tell his friends that I could only handle one person talking to me at the same time.

"At least give her the time to answer the question, guys."

They all fall silent but stare at me as if I am a science project. I guess they were all expecting their answers. What were the questions again?

"I'm in fifth year, not fourth. That would make Cedric an even bigger paedophile."

Cedric chokes on his pumpkin juice.

"Yes, I'm Harry's sister. I see the fact that we share the same last name and date of birth isn't proof enough. I though the article was awesome. I met Cedric two summers ago at the Quidditch World Cup. Our families used the same portkey. Yes, I'm currently playing as a chaser on our Quidditch Team. For the record, we did not get crushed. We practically had a handicap with those two idiotic beaters who don't see the difference between the rear of their broom and a bludger. I thought it was unfair Hooch didn't keep that in account when she decided on the score. I went to Beauxbatons for the first four years but since Voldemort is back, I decided to come here."

They were all staring at me as if I was bonkers. Did I say something wrong?

"So… Beauxbatons... Interesting." Bethany eventually broke the silence with an awkward smile.

And more silence.

"Those baked potatoes look delicious." Emmett turns his attention to the plate in front of him and starts piling potatoes on it until the dish is empty.

I guess that was some kind of cue to start digging in, which brings us to the second problem of this catastrophic dinner. I am starving and would like nothing more than to shove every delicacy on this table in my mouth but maybe that wouldn't be considered as good table manners. I'm already not making a good impression on these people, I definitely don't need them to think I'm a pig as well. So I take small bites of my dinner and don't dare get a second or third serving.

"So you're in your OWL year." Rolf suddenly talks to me when everyone has started on dessert.

"Yes," I nod, not trusting myself to say anything more. It might come out offensive.

"Rough year. Though since we've got NEWT's, you really shouldn't be complaining." He grins.

Seriously? I wasn't complaining, I barely said anything! So I just glare at the guy.

"Well, I've got a huge pile of papers to work on." Bethany says.

"Oh, yeah, me too." The rest of them chips in and all five of them rush away from the table.

"Well, that was…"

"Awful, Cedric! Downright awful!"

"… I think Rolf liked you." He says.

I glare at him because Rolf sure as hell did not like me. Wasn't too fond of the guy either.

"I told you this was a bad idea." I huff while finally grabbing some dessert and shoving it down my throat. I really don't care if Cedric thinks I'm a pig.

"It was not a bad idea." He sighs. "Besides, they're my best friends and you're the girl I'm dating. You were bound to meet at some point."

"I know that but I preferred about a week before the break-up."

"Nice, Danny." He says annoyed.

"I'm sorry this ruined your little fantasy of me becoming part of your gang but honestly, what did you expect when you brought _me _to meet _them_?!"

It sounds as if we're two different species but we might as well be. I don't speak popular jock slang.

"I expected that since they're my best friends who I've known since first year and you're the girl I'm in love with, you might at least try to like each other."

I disappointed him. And I knew something like this was going to happen. No person who met me liked me after the first impression, not even Noa or Charlotte.

"Well, that was really naïve of you, especially since they're all rooting for you to date someone else."

"They are not root-"

"The blond girl is totally crushing on you."

I figured out that the fact that she kept glaring at me and making gooey eyes at Cedric were related.

"And I think all your friends would rather see you with her than with me."

"Lori?" He asks with genuine surprise.

Boys are so daft.

"I can see how you get confused with all the other blond girls sitting at this table, drooling over you" I gesture towards a couple of girls who aren't even hiding the fact that they're undressing my boyfriends with their eyes. "but yes I meant her."

"But she's like a sister to me."

"Don't ever say that to her. She looks like the kind of girl who would attack you with a cauldron if you ever said that." I advice him.

"… Do you think I would be better off with her?" He eventually asks me.

I shrug.

"She's your kind of people though."

"My kind of people?" He frowns.

"You know, people who look like they're the inbred of models and of who everyone in Hogwarts would want a hair in a jar."

"That's creepy."

"People are creepy."

I'm not saying he should go be with that Lori girl because after everything that would really suck. But I just hope he realises that's what his friends probably want.

"Well, it doesn't matter what they think." He suddenly says.

"What?" I frown.

"So they don't like you. It's too bad but that doesn't mean anything changes between us."

"Really?" I say in shock.

"Of course." He nods.

"But your friends don't like me. That's like the best reason to dump a person. I even think friend disapproval trumps infidelity. I would totally dump you if my friends didn't like you!"

"Good to know."

"Really?" I ask him once more. "It doesn't matter?"

"They're my friends and I love them like family but they have no idea what I'm looking for in a girl. I do and I happen to have found it in you."

"You were looking for a rude blabber mouth who takes joy in insulting people and breaking as many rules as possible? If that's the case,… you're nuts."

"You are so much more than that and one day you're going to realise it. Just remember, when guys are crawling over each other to get a shot with you, that I was the first."

I lean in to kiss my boyfriend in the middle of the Great Hall with a lot of prying eyes on us. I don't care because I actually got myself a good guy who's not even dumping me after I made his friends dislike me.

"Technically you weren't the first though." I pull away. "Jonathan kind of beat you to-"

He doesn't let me finish the sentence. He leans in again and captures my lips with his. Who cares anyway? Jonathan may have been my first boyfriend and first kiss, but he never gave me abdominal flutters the way this guy does.

_I really liked the Cedric/Danny scenes. How about you?_

_The dialogue between Umbridge and Dumbledore was written by J.K. so I do not deserve any credit for that. _


	21. Defining the Relationship

_Another chapter! I am on a roll here :) Thank you everyone who faved, alerted and reviewed. Thanks __**BlueRose22, Guest, Just Another Aceves, avengeme, xXMizz Alec VolturiXx, kiseki, Anon, swimmergirl22 **__and __**Prettylittleliarxxx, **__my faithful and awesome reviewers! And this chapter got the most reviews from all the Resistance chapters! Go readers!_

_Okay, I totally agree with the fact that Danny's behaviour is more than enough to drive Cedric insane but to be fair, she did warn him and he knew very well what he was getting himself into. Their relationship is also still really new. They still have to learn (and probably especially Danny) how to make this work. That's why this chapter is mainly about them easing into their relationship. I know you all want more Cedric/Danny so that is what I gave you in this update :)_

_And Danny cares what people think and say because that's what people do. They value other people's opinions far too much. _

_It would be indeed a good idea to see what Cedric's friends thought of meeting Danny, xXMizz Alec VolturiXx, but I am determined to keep this a one POV story. At least for as long as I can. But thanks for the idea. _

Chapter 21

"Hagrid is in trouble." Harry says to me at breakfast the next morning.

"Of course he is. Now that Umbridge has fired Trelawney, it only makes sense she's going after him next." I say.

"How can you say that? Hagrid doesn't deserve to get sacked." He immediately gets defensive.

"Look, I know he's your friend, Harry, and I'm surprisingly fond of the half-giant whose creatures have at least attempted to burn my eyebrows off twice but you can't deny the fact that as a teacher, he's not that good."

He mutters something under his breath.

"Who's to say that it has something to do with Umbridge anyway?" Granger says. "I don't think Firenze would go through so much trouble to warn him if it was something as unimportant to him as a job."

"Wait, what are we talking about now?" I frown in confusion.

"After our Divination class yesterday, Firenze asked to talk to me. He wanted me to warn Hagrid that the attempt failed and he should quit it."

"What does that mean?"

"If I knew that, I wouldn't have to guess." Harry snaps at me.

"Okay, no need to bite my nose off." I huff.

He once again mutters something I can't understand but I'm pretty sure it wasn't an apology.

"Just tell Hagrid to keep a low profile." I shrug.

"Coming from the girl who failed to do so herself, that's not very believable." Weasley snorts.

"If I do something stupid, I get a detention, not sacked. If Hagrid wants to keep his job, he better stop whatever the hell he's doing."

Harry tries to pass the message to Hagrid but it is as if Umbridge had smelled it or something. Ever since the debacle me and Lee have started to refer to as the bitch-slap event or the Dumbledore-Umbridge face-off, she's been present to evaluate every single class Hagrid teaches. I wish I could say he was trying to impress her with his knowledge on magical creatures and thus his capacity as a teacher but he just refuses to teach us things that he would consider 'boring' and others safe. After the class on Fire Crabs, I would kill for a boring one.

Eventually one evening, at dinner, Harry tells us that he spoke to Hagrid but that the half-giant just refused to listen to Firenze's advice. The three of them got all worked up about it but honestly, I think that if Hagrid doesn't want to listen then it's his own damn fault when things turn sour. I'm not going to lose any sleep over it. Besides, there are other things to worry about, like Umbridge. The woman has passed four new decrees in the last week! They're all on stupid things like don't stand in the hallway with more than three people huddled together and no public displays of affection (I actually don't mind that one, nobody has to see other people force their tongues down each other's throats at the breakfast table) but the fact that she so easily gets what she wants, has gotten me quite unsettled.

"Will you stop fretting?" Cedric sighs.

We're studying in the library together. Apparently when he said studying, he really meant with books and all. Bummer.

"I'm not fretting." I huff.

He cocks an eyebrow at me and I just stick out my tongue. So what if I was fretting? He's not even supposed to notice that, he should be focused on his books. If he wants to become a healer, he has to ace his NEWTS. I know I have OWLS soon as well but for some reason I just can't focus on the boring theory in my history of magic's book. Instead of looking at it, I prefer to let my eyes wander across the room. There are a lot of students in the library today since exams are getting closer every day and apparently a lot of them are frustrated. I'm honestly waiting for one of them to snap and throw a table across the room. Now, that would totally make this boring afternoon worth the while.

I lean back in my seat when I see a face I know enter the library. It's not like it's the only person I know in here but the Creevey brothers aren't really that interesting.

That Romy girl, the one Wayne is still pining after just walked behind the shelves to a very secluded part with a guy who is most definitely not her boyfriend. I would know because Wayne pointed him out to me. The boyfriend was freaking hot so what was she doing here with a guy who looks nothing like someone she would even want to be seen with.

"What are you looking at?" Cedric asks me when I've been staring at the shelves a little too long.

"I will be right back." I tell him before following Romy and the guy to the back of the library.

I already know what I'm going to find judging by the moaning I hear when I approach the shelve I know they disappeared behind. But before I do anything rash, I just have to be sure. And I was right. While peering through the books on the shelve I can see the guy has Romy pressed against one of the book shelves and they're locked in a passionate kiss. Their hands are roaming all over each other's bodies and her shirt is already unbuttoned.

"Slut." I mutter under my breath.

Luckily none of them heard me since they're too into making out. Good, because I have a little bone to pick with Romy and I just figured out the way to do it.

I leave the secluded part of the library again that seems to have the reputation to be the place to hook up. The two of them didn't seem like they were about to leave any time soon so that gives me an opportunity.

I approach the table with the Creevey brothers sitting at it. Once one of them – I never seem to figure out which one is who – notices me, their conversation falls silent.

"I need to borrow your camera." I point to the black object on the table, the thing one of them seems unable to go anywhere without it.

"W-what?" The boy – yes, I know he's only one year younger than me but he somehow looks like 12-year old – clutches the precious camera to his chest. "Why?"

"Look, I just need it. I'll take really good care of it. You'll have it back in a few minutes." I extend my hand, hoping it's that easy.

"I don't think that's a good idea."

I sigh. It looks like he will need a little more persuasion.

"I'll give you some of Harry's baby pictures in exchange for it."

The boy's eyes light up at the mention of the pictures. I knew the president of my brother's fan club would be interested in such a thing. Though still slightly reluctant, he hands the camera over to me.

"Just be careful with it." He looks at his precious clutched into my hands with concern.

"I will. Thanks." I say before returning to the cheating couple.

I just hope they're still there.

The moaning has gotten louder compared to earlier so I'm guessing they've gotten to a better part. When I round the corner I see the guy has by now unbuttoned his pants and Romy's hand has slipped into his underwear while they're still locked at the lips.

I grin before holding up the camera and taking a picture.

The flash alerts both of them of my presence and they turn to me in horror.

"You two are quite photogenic." I grin. "You know what? I think this photograph would be perfect for the head article in the school paper on 'students in the library do their very best'. "

"What the fuck!?" The guy exclaims, hoisting up his pants while Romy is trying to desperately button up her wrinkled shirt.

"And I'm pretty sure your boyfriend would love to see this picture as well." I look at the girl.

Her eyes turn to slits when she spots the obvious threat. Since the boy realised this is more about Romy than it is about him, he quietly takes his leave.

"How is this any of your business?!" She hisses. "I don't even know you."

"No, but we have a mutual friend." I explain to her. "And I don't like the way you've been treating Wayne."

"Oh," She lets out a humorous laugh and nods in understanding. "I see how it is. You're doting on Wayne and you don't like the fact that all he sees is me."

What a terrible bitch! She's clearly enjoying the fact that she has Wayne wrapped all around her pretty finger.

"First of all, I am not doting on Wayne. He's my friend. Secondly, if I were you I'd wipe that disgusting grin off your face before I shove this picture under your petty boyfriend's nose." I point at the camera in my hand.

"What do you want?" She growls.

"I want you to tell Wayne you've been playing with him along and after that, you will leave him alone."

"He will just crawl back to me."

I really have to push back the urge to launch myself at her and smack her in the face with one of the thickest books I can find.

"No, he won't. Not if you avoid him."

"Does he know you're doing this?" She crosses her arms in front of her chest, trying to intimidate me.

"Of course not. Just like your boyfriend doesn't know what you've been up to either. I suggest we both keep them in ignorance."

"Fine." She eventually huffs.

"Good. I knew you were a sensible person." I smile and prepare to return the camera to his owner and ask for a copy of the picture.

"Danny Potter?"

I turn back to the angry girl who apparently knows my name even though I never told her what it is.

"I won't forget this." She hisses.

"I was counting on that." I grin before leaving.

What does Wayne even see in her? She's a bitch! Worse, she's a cheating, slutty bitch.

After returning the camera to Creevey and asking him to immediately tell me when the picture is developed, I slide back into my seat and find that Cedric is gone.

"Great." I sigh.

Did he get mad because I sort of bailed on him?! That's unfair, I was actually doing a good thing for someone else for a change. I'm pretty sure blackmailing someone isn't really a good act but it was a selfless one.

"You're back." Cedric is sitting in front of me again.

"So are you." I say in surprise.

I don't think Cedric is the kind of guy to stays angry for a long time but this was really short.

"I just needed to get this book." He puts the thing down on the table.

"Oh." I laugh.

"What?"

"I tough you left because you were mad." I admit.

"Why would I be mad?" He frowns.

"Because I just left you alone." I explain.

"Why would I get mad over that? You said you'd be back and you are. It's not like I insist you spend every moment by my side." He shrugs and focuses back on his books.

I smile at him even though he doesn't see it. We're so lucky he's not like me. I would have left angry if he just bailed on me like that. Good thing he doesn't have my short fuse.

"Cedric?"

"Yeah?" He looks up again.

I lean in, grab the back of his head and give him such a passionate kiss that my legs are actually trembling and I'm sitting down.

"Euhm…" He looks a bit confused when I release my hold on the back of his head.

"Don't ever cheat on me." I suddenly glare at him.

"What?" He's even more confused now.

"I'm just saying that I can forgive everything else but if you cheat on me, I will kill you in a very painful way and make it look like an accident."

He just keeps staring at me like I'm a lunatic – which I thought he already knew – before suddenly smiling.

"Did you just say I can get away with everything else?"

"No, I said I could forgive it… eventually. Though I'd have to think about that if you kill someone dear to me."

"You'd have to think about it?"

"Well, maybe it was self-defence and maybe that person turned evil and you were just protecting the world."

"And if not?"

"Then it would not be okay."

"No cheating. No killing unless it's self-defence. Got it." He smiles. "So what brought this on?"

"You don't want to know." I shake my head.

He gives me a curious look but eventually goes back to his studying. I know I should try and do the same but Cedric rubbing his feet against mine is kind of distracting.

Another DA meeting, another disappointment. By now I'm one of the only ones left who still can't do a corporal patronus. I frown in distain at the bright Patronus in front of me, flapping his big wings in my face.

"A freaking dragon!?" I huff at Cedric who seems far too pleased with the shape his patronus has chosen.

"I thought you liked dragons?" He says while looking at his patronus doing flips in the air.

"I do." I grumble. "I just wish you had a bunny or something. At least I could mock that."

How on earth am I supposed to mock him when he has something as cool and ferocious as a dragon?

"Luna has a bunny." He points at the dreamy girl petting her patronus.

"It's not funny on her." I say with disappointment.

"I think you should at least try and hide your jealousy a little bit better." He gives me a loop-sided smile.

"I'm not-" I sigh in annoyance. "I can't even deny it."

"You'll get it…eventually."

"That's not really reassuring. That's like saying 'One day, little piggy, you'll fly.'."

"It's an expression, Danny, pigs don't really fly."

"My point exactly."

The fact that Cedric is showing off his envy worthy patronus pisses me off, so I walk away to find better company.

"Where are you going?"

"To find someone who can't do a patronus either."

"Pretty sure you're the only one." He grins.

I flip him off. But he turns out to be rather right. Everywhere I look people seem to be perfectly capable of producing a patronus, not all bright and clear the way they should be but at least they're corporal.

"Fucking Patronus charm." I growl which draws some attention.

"Instead of getting pissed over it, you should try to get happy." Ginny says to me.

"Happy? About not being able to produce a patronus?" I say sarcastically.

"Your technique seems to be right and you know the spell. The only reason you can't do it is because whatever you think off isn't strong enough."

As if I hadn't heard that one before.

"Look, I've even thought about my family! If that doesn't make me happy enough, nothing will." I explain to Ginny.

"Well, that's not good enough." She simply says.

"Huh?"

"No offense, Danny, but I think maybe there are too many bad memories involving your family to give you that warm, happy, giddy feeling."

"…You think?"

She might have a point. When I think of my family I try to think off all the good memories but they're some bad ones as well. With Harry being shunned, my father and mother being in that terrible order, uncle Remus' pain as a werewolf. There's more than enough bad.

"So what do you suggest?" I ask her.

"Well, there's one thing in the world that can create a warm and gooey feeling in everyone."

What would that be?

"A crush."

"A crush?" I frown.

And here I thought she was going to share the wisdom of the world with me. How disappointing.

"Yes, there aren't a lot of things who make you all mushy and giddy inside like a crush, a puppy love."

"I don't have a crush." I say.

"Oh, really?" She grins. "Then what's that?"

She's drawing my attention to the guy still staring at his dragon as if it is the most fascinating thing in the world.

"That is not a crush." I scoff.

I'd like to think it's a little more than just a silly puppy love.

"It is. It's just a crush that expanded to more and is now something very close to love. It will be even stronger than a simple little crush."

Huh, she described it pretty well.

"Thinking about Cedric can't possibly be enough to create a real patronus." I huff. "That would be so lame of me."

"It's not lame. Just try it."

I reluctantly pull out my wand and am about to give it a shot when I wonder about something.

"Is that what you think of?" I turn to Ginny. "Do you think about Micheal Corner?"

I know they've been dating for a really long time now but I hide every single emotion cursing through my veins and even I look more in love than her.

Ginny suddenly blushes and glances at a boy across the room. But the thing is, the guy is most definitely not Michael Corner.

"Oh my God!" I gasp out loud. "Are you still crushing on Harry?!"

I know the girl used to absolutely adore him but I thought she had sort of grown out of it once she really hit puberty.

"It's not a crush." She mutters with her cheeks ablaze.

Is blushing liking a tomato a Weasley family trait?

"You're right." I grin. " It's a crush that expanded and is now something close to-"

"Shut up." She hisses at me, embarrassed. "Will you please just give it a try?"

"Fine." I give in.

I point my wand in the air and try to think of what Ginny said. I try picturing Cedric in my head but it doesn't work. What shade of brown is his hair again? Does he usually wear his tie straight or crooked? I don't really remember the shape of his eyebrows anymore.

So I discretely peek through my eyelashes to look at the boy standing a few feet away from me. Crooked, I knew it. There isn't really a way to describe the shade of brown though. It's pretty unique, not at all like the colour of Granger's boring hair. Thank god he doesn't have her curls either. He has a bit of a wave in it but I kind of like that. I know his hair looks really soft but it actually isn't. Maybe that's for the better. I don't want a guy with smoother and silkier hair than me and who needs one hour in the bathroom every day. Nope, boys should not be vain and he isn't. Though sometimes I do wonder how he gets that refined nonchalant look without actually trying.

'Strong and silent' suddenly passes my mind. I can't help but snort at that. Whoever came up with that definitely never had a conversation with him.

And I think that maybe Ginny is right. I can't tell for sure that I really love him but I know I'm in love with him. And when I look at him, my heart clenches a bit. In a pleasant way, if that's even possible. And sometimes, when he gives me one of those sexy loop-sided grins or holds my hand in his warm ones, I really do feel myself going all mushy and gooey inside.

"Expecto Patronum." I whisper, barely audible.

If this actually works, I will have to tell him that I love him.

There's the fog again. And now it's bundling together to create a shape. Wait, what? It's never done that before!

I stare at my patronus which is still a bit fogy and hazy but that is most definitely a shape, a real corporal patronus. The animal leaps off and goes around the entire room faster than I've seen the real thing do. Of course it would be a show-off.

I'm still staring at it with shock and an open mouth. Across the room I lock eyes with Harry who is wearing the same kind of expression on his face. He suddenly gives me a satisfied grin, as if to say 'told you'.

And then I burst out laughing. Really loud and almost psychotic. I realise the entire DA is staring at me but I can't stop. It's just so bloody insane.

My patronus is a freaking eagle!

"It's an eagle!" I laugh, while pointing at it.

"Yes, I think we're all able to recognise it." Ginny says. "Could you maybe please stop laughing? You're kind of scaring me."

"I can't." I wheeze out. "It's just so funny."

But eventually I am forced to stop laughing when suddenly a little creature pops in the middle of the room.

Dobby?!

Harry is about to greet the house elf in a cheerful manner when he realises that the little elf is shaking in an incontrollable manner and looks strangely pale. What is wrong?

"Harry Potter sir," The small creature is practically sobbing all over the floor. "Dobby has come to warn you… but house elves have been warned not to tell…"

For old time's sake, he once again runs head-first against the wall. Some people let out little gasps but they don't know the house elf is used to much worse than that.

"What's happened, Dobby?" Harry asks gently, while trying to prevent the elf from causing himself any more harm.

"Harry Potter… she… she…"

"Who's 'she', Dobby?" Harry asks him the question I'm sure we were all wondering about.

"Umbridge?" Harry asks, horrified of the possible answer.

Please say no, Dobby. Please deny it.

He doesn't say yes either but that's pretty much what his little nod meant.

"What about her? Dobby, she hasn't found out about this, about us, about the DA?"

Everyone turns rigid and why shouldn't we? If she knows, it's bye, bye, Hogwarts for all of us.

"Is she coming?"

"Yes, Harry Potter, yes!"

Nobody moves or says anything. We're screwed, we are so very screwed.

"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!" Harry bellows. "RUN!"

He doesn't have to say it twice. Immediately everyone starts pushing to get to the exit. I myself want to get to Harry and pull him out of here because knowing him, he'll probably stay behind to make sure everyone else got away.

But before I can move one other step, Cedric grabs me by the arm and drags me out of the room at full speed.

"Harry!" I yell but I have no idea if he can even still hear me.

"He's a big boy." Cedric shouts at me.

I know that but I still want to go back and make sure he's okay. That will probably only result in me getting caught so I run with Cedric away from the Room of Requirement as fast as we can. We can hear footsteps behind us and I know it's only a matter of time before we're caught.

When we round a corner, Cedric suddenly pulls a door open I hadn't even noticed and shoves me into the room before closing the door behind him. It's a broom cupboard with barely enough space for the two of us. By the light coming from the creaks I can tell Cedric even has to bend down to fit into the small space. I am pressed up against his chest and feel his heart beat as frantic as mine.

"Should I be worried that you knew there was a broom cupboard here?" I wonder softly.

"No." he whispers. "Though we might have to worry if any of them are smart enough to look for us here."

We both hold our breaths when we hear another pair of footsteps approaching the cupboard after the one chasing us ran by it. This one is walking at a slower pace and seems to be scanning the area rather than running after people.

Thanks to the light coming from under the door, we can see the person is standing in front of it, probably contemplating whether or not it's worth a peek.

The handle is pressed down, the door swings open and I'm sure were done for it. Suddenly, very inappropriately, Cedric grabs my face and drags me into a kiss. Before I can properly respond to what the hell he's doing, he interrupts it himself and looks at the person standing in the doorway. I can't see who it is since I turned my back to it when Cedric kissed me.

"Do you mind?" He says to the person in the most annoyed voice I've ever heard.

The person, who sounds like a guy, mumbles an apology and closes the door again. We hear his footsteps take off in another direction.

"I can't believe that worked." He sighs in relief. "Thank God that Slytherin wasn't the cleverest one."

"Slytherin? It was a student?"

Cedric nods.

I figured Umbridge would come with professors, you know, people who actually have the authority to punish us. Then again, I don't think she's very popular with the rest of the teaching staff.

I guess it's also a good thing he didn't see my face since Cedric had turned me around. He would without a doubt have been suspicious of Harry's sister being in a broom cupboard so close to the Room of Requirement no matter how stupid most slytherins are. But I think that wasn't a coincidence.

I smile at Cedric even though he can barely see it in the dark. So I reach up and pull him down for a real kiss this time. Not that the previous one wasn't real but it's definitely much better when there isn't some oaf gawking at us.

"What was that for?" I can hear it in his voice that he's rather pleased.

"For being smarter than I give you credit for."

"Thank you… I think."

"It's a compliment." I clarify.

"You hide it very well."

I laugh and rest my head on his chest.

"Do you think everyone else is okay?" I ask him while wounding my arms around his waist.

"You mean Harry?" He pulls me a tad closer to him and brushes a hand through my hair.

"I mean Harry _and _everyone else."

"I don't know."He sighs. "Maybe?"

"That's not very reassuring." I scoff.

"Well, I'm not a fortune teller."

I sigh and burry my face in his chest as well. Cedric smells like something strange. I don't know what it is but it somehow reminds me of Quidditch and summer. Maybe I should take another whiff of it.

"Are you sniffing me?" He suddenly asks.

"No," I lie. "That would be weird."

"Yes, but it's not like you're perfectly normal." He grins.

"Don't tease." I whine. "Not right now."

I'm not in the mood for it. I'm too busy worrying about what happened after Cedric and I bolted out of that room. Okay, I admit, all my worry is actually for Harry as Cedric already figured out. But that doesn't mean I'm not hoping everyone else got away as well.

"Do you think it's safe to go out?" I wonder.

"No, I think we will probably have to stay in here for a while."

"I don't mind." I mutter under my breath but I think he still heard it.

Ten minutes pass without either of us moving or saying anything. So I'm actually taken by surprise when he suddenly speaks out loud.

"At least one good thing happened."

"What's that?"

"You were able to conjure a patronus."

"I already forgot." I laugh softly.

"I was just wondering what it is you thought of."

I blush when I think back of what had made me able to form a corporal patronus. God, this is going to be an awkward conversation. I am so glad right now that he can't see the blush on my face.

I pull away a little before taking a deep breath of oxygen. Thank God it's dark in here and I won't have to see the expression on his face caused by my next words.

"I thought of you." I say softly.

My words are met with silence though I'm sure his face must be an open book right now. The first thing he says after my confession wasn't really what I had expected.

"Lumos."

He somehow pulled his wand back out. From the tip of it comes a faint light but it is more than enough to illuminate our faces that are now very close to each other. I can't help but want to look away from the eager expression on his face. It is scary.

"Say it." He whispers.

"Say what?" I feign ignorance.

"You and I both know what it means that you were able to conjure a patronus by thinking of me. I just want to hear you say it. Just once and then I'll never ask for it again."

I'm having a hard time looking at him and denying him that. I kind of promised myself I was going to do this eventually anyway. I can't do it while looking in those warm eyes though so I look away and take a deep breath.

"I-"

"No." He interrupts my confession. "If I only get to hear this once, you have to at least look at me."

He gently grabs my chin and forces me to look back at his face.

"I…"

Fuck, this is way harder than I thought.

"I … love you." I say it quickly and barely audible but I know he heard it.

Immediately his eyes light up with such a tender emotion that I am hit with a wave of adoration for the guy in front of me.

"You're scary." I accidentally let those words slip.

"I'm scary?" He frowns. "Are do you mean you're just scared of giving your heart to me?"

I nod my head hesitantly. I think that's what it is.

"Yes," I say. "I don't know how you did it so easily."

He lets out a small laugh and looks down at me with that typical tenderness of his.

"Don't worry, Danny, I'll take very good care of it."

I know he will.

_A lot happened in this chapter so you probably have to process it all but could you maybe process it by reviewing? Thanks!_


	22. The Inquisitorial Squad

_Jeez, __**APersonHere, BlueRose22, DivineOrder, xXMizz Alec VolturiXx, Just Another Aceves, chasm, Guest **__and __**Prettylittleliarxxx**__, you're all such awesome people for reviewing! I know I've said it a lot of times before but I'm saying it once more: Thank you!_

_You've all inspired me to write this! So I hope you'll enjoy it. _

Chapter 22

I spend another half hour in the broom cupboard with Cedric, mostly spending the time making out, but eventually we had to find out what happened to everyone else. He walked me back to the common room, saying it would be better if he was caught alone than me since he's Head Boy and apparently can talk his way out of everything.

When I enter the common room after saying goodbye to Cedric, I am greeted with most of the DA members pacing around and jumping up when I enter the room.

"Danny!" Granger immediately rushes over to me. "You're okay? We thought, since you didn't come back, you got caught as well."

"No, I was- What do you mean 'caught as well'?"

"Well," She shifts nervously. "We're pretty sure Harry got caught."

"What?!"

I knew I should have made sure he was safe first! Instead I chose to hook up with my boyfriend. What kind of a guardian am I!?

"But it seems everyone else got away safely." Granger tries to lighten the mood.

Maybe this will sound terribly cold of me but I honestly don't give a shit about everyone else right now.

I turn around and march back out of the common room.

"Where are you going?" Granger calls after me.

"To get Harry."

I have no idea where to look for him but I figure Umbridge's office would be a nice start. However, I don't even make it one hallway further. After the first corner I turn, I come across McGonagall escorting Harry back to the common room.

"Harry!"

He seems fine though thoroughly depressed but that seems to be the general mood around him lately and since he obviously did get caught, I would find it rather strange if he was in a chipper mood.

"Miss Potter," McGonagall frowns at my presence. "I suggest you walk back to the common room since curfew has started a long time ago."

She seems angry, probably because her students keep breaking the rules, so I simply do what she says and follow them both back to the common room. McGonagall doesn't enter with us but she makes damn sure we aren't going anywhere else.

Upon entering the room, everyone immediately bombards Harry with questions I want to know the answer to as well. Did he get expelled? What is his punishment? What did Umbridge do to him? How on earth did he get caught? But maybe most importantly: how the fuck did Umbridge know about the DA? Nobody blabbed, right?

"What happened?"

"When they entered the Room of Requirement, Malfoy used a tripping curse to make sure I couldn't get out on time."

I really, really hate that stupid ferret!

"Umbridge brought me to Dumbledore's office. She confronted him with what we were doing. She had the paper with our signatures on it."

"She knows who we are?!" Seamus exclaims. "She's going to kill us!"

"She doesn't," Granger says. "Because I cast a spell on the paper to make our signatures disappear once a member broke the pact and told someone about the DA. That is what happened, right Harry? Someone from the DA told her?"

Harry nods.

"I bet it was that stupid Zacharius bloke!" Weasley yells. "I never trusted the git!"

"It wasn't Zacharius. He was with us when she came into the Room of Requirement and looked just as surprised as everyone else." Granger frowns.

"It wasn't him," Harry sighs. "It was Marietta Edgecombe."

Isn't that the read-head who's friends with Cho Chang and seems to have a permanent frown etched onto her face. Well, I guess it's pimples instead of a frown now.

"I knew we couldn't trust her!" Weasley exclaims angrily even though he never knew such a thing.

"The signatures may have been invisible but our name wasn't. We gave Umbridge proof, fake proof but proof nonetheless, that Dumbledore is indeed trying to raise an army."

"But he isn't," I say. "The DA is just a group of teenagers trying to learn defence."

I'm pretty sure that if Dumbledore did want a private army, he wasn't going to count on fifth year students.

"That's what I was going to tell her but then Dumbledore interrupted me, saying that raising an army was exactly what he had asked me to do."

"What? He took the blame for you, for all of us?" Granger frowns.

"Yes, and as Umbridge and the Minister tried to arrest him, he disappeared."

Dumbledore is gone. He was the only one left who could still stand up against the minster and his minions. Without him, Umbridge is going to rule this school with an iron fist. I told you we were screwed.

"What about you? Don't you get a punishment?" Dean asks Harry.

"No, Dumbledore somehow managed to convince them that we only held one meeting, at the Hog's Head and that we stopped once the decree was announced. Tonight was supposedly the first meeting, arranged by Dumbledore."

Everyone's quiet afterwards. I think it goes without saying that the DA meetings are now a part of the past. Guess I got lucky I had been able to do a patronus tonight. Unfortunately there was still so much left to learn but we can't risk it now that Dumbledore took the fall for us.

The situation is still very uncomfortable the next morning, when there is an announcement saying Umbridge has replaced Dumbledore as the Headmaster of Hogwarts. All the members of the DA, who have by now heard what happened at Dumbledore's office, glare Marietta to death when she dares enter the Great Hall. She has covered up most of her face but I know what is underneath her scarf. She definitely deserves to have 'sneak' written all over her face in purple pimples. I knew I put up with Granger for a reason.

"Serves her right." I glare at Marietta while the Weasley twins hum in agreement with me.

"To make matters worse we have to put up with that!" Lee nods his head in the direction of Malfoy and his two oafs parading through the Great Hall.

"What exactly did they say they were?" I ask them.

"The Inquisitorial Squad. Which basically means they're Umbridge's little lap dogs. But they do have the privilege to duck points from us. I lost ten points this morning because Malfoy said my hair was too bright," George grumbles.

"All the members are Slytherins anyway. Gryffindor can't possibly win the cup this year with such a retarded new system."

Winning the cup was the last thing on my mind right now. Things would without a doubt become worse.

On our way to Potions class, we pass the hour-glasses with the score of each house. The squad only started today and already Slytherin's score is considerably higher than those of the other houses. It's not like we were winning but we most certainly didn't have seventy points less than Slytherin.

And of course our first class just had to be with those snakes. The entire hour we had to listen to Malfoy and his brainless minions going on and on about how they had now gotten the proper power over the impure ones. I tried hexing Crabbe the third time he called Granger a mudblood but Snape caught me and gave me a detention.

"I hate the new system," Weasley grumbles when we're finally allowed to leave that horrid dungeon.

"At least we've got a free period now," Harry sighs.

That is probably the only good thing that came from everything. Now that Umbridge is the Headmistress of Hogwarts, she needs to sort out a few things before she can combine it with her job as a teacher. So that means that at least today we won't have to look at that horrid face. It is a rather tragic consolation price though.

I walked back to the common room with Harry, Granger and Weasley, thinking that surely there must be some kind of way to stay one step ahead of Umbridge even now that she's ruling Hogwarts. But maybe there just isn't. The moment might have finally come that we should just simply admit defeat. I don't like it one bit but it seems like that's the only option left. If there was only a way to get into her inner circle. I'd be smart enough to use that to my advantage.

"The Inquisitorial Squad!" I shout out in the middle of the hallway.

"Euhm…what?" Harry looks at me in confusion.

"I have to go." I turn around and sprint in the direction we just came from.

"What was that about?" I still hear Harry say.

"Who knows? We're all aware that your sister is bonkers."

I don't go back to snap at Weasley for that comment. There is a much more pressing matter at hand right now.

I have got to learn that the Headmaster's office requires a password though. This is probably the fourth time I've stood in front of that ugly gargoyle with no idea how to get up.

"Euhm… banana fritters?"

The gargoyle doesn't move an inch. I should have known Umbridge wouldn't continue Dumbledore's trend. No, she's more likely to go for something else.

"The Ministry rocks?" I randomly guess.

I could have sworn that statue actually cocked an eyebrow at me but other than that, nothing moved.

"All hail the Minister?" I try again.

No movement.

"Expel Harry Potter?"

They were all very realistic options.

"Death to Dumbledore?"

Nothing.

"Fudge?"

And by a miracle, the gargoyle moves and reveals the staircase to me.

"Really? That's the password?" I frown at the ugly creature. "I think I preferred the sweets."

I take in a deep breath before knocking on the office's door. I better prepare myself for giving once again an excellent acting performance.

"Come in." Her annoyingly high voice comes to me from behind the door.

She seems surprised to see me but not as surprised as I am at the changes she has made to the office. Dumbledore's office had been awesome and the very heart of this castle but she turned it into a mockery. I really pity the portraits of the previous honourable headmasters who now have to hang between little kittens. And why on earth did she think it was a good idea to turn her office chair pink?

"Miss Potter?" She frowns in suspicion.

"Headmistress Umbridge, I know your time is very precious so I will try to make it short."

"Very well." She signals to the pink chair in front of her desk I really don't want my bottom to come in contact with but it looks like I can't really refuse.

"Thank you." I smile at her. "First of, I think it is great that Hogwarts finally has someone capable in charge. I've already seen some of the changes around here and I have to say I'm very impressed and pleased with them."

She seems to still be a little suspicious of my intentions but she is obviously quite pleased with me stroking her ego anyway.

"And especially the Inquisitorial Squad. I was hoping that I myself could make a contribution to that cause as well?"

"You… want to join my Inquisitorial Squad?" She frowns, trying to figure out why I would ask her such a thing.

"Yes, it is a great initiative and I would love for nothing more than to be able to help you and the ministry to make Hogwarts a good environment for the future bright witches and wizards of our community."

I should become a politician. I'm really good with big words and fake promises.

"Though your enthusiasm is… refreshing. I don't think that would be a very good idea," She says.

Well, it's not like I hadn't expected such an answer.

"Of course." I nod sadly. "I understand completely. Making the sister of the boy who keeps on lying part of your Inquisitorial Squad would make a big statement. Conflicting interests and all that. Besides I'm sure it would upset Harry as well. And well, he gets a tad… drifty when he's upset. Makes it rather hard on him to keep a clear head. But thank you for your time."

I get up, walk to the door but before I can reach towards the handle…

"Wait."

I have to fight back the little grin but straighten my face anyway and turn back to the toad behind the desk.

"You being a part of my Inquisitorial Squad would send a very clear message." She smiles viciously.

She's so easy to wrap around my little finger. She had been right to be suspicious of my intentions yet at the mere mention of the possibility to aggravate Harry, she ignored it all and jumped at the opportunity.

"I believe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to have a student of another house join."

Maybe we can still win the house cup after all.

It takes three days to finalise it all during which I mention none of it all to Harry or anyone else. But eventually they were bound to notice the silver 'I' patched onto my robes. I'm actually a little surprised they only noticed it when we had already been sitting at the table for dinner for a good ten minutes.

"What is that?!" Weasley yells out while pointing at my chest.

Who knew he would end up being the most observant one? Or maybe he was just automatically staring at my chest.

"That," I grin brightly and point at the letter on my robes. "is all the sucking up to Umbridge, paying off."

"Wait," Harry frowns. "Your part of the Inquisitorial Squad now?"

"Bingo!" I smile. "Five points to Gryffindor for being such a smart cookie."

"Why?" He asks.

"Oh, Harry, please don't make me take back those points by asking me such a stupid question."

But he still looks at me as if … as if he's not such a smart cookie after all.

"Fine, if I must explain it. Once upon a time, there was a hideous pink toad who wanted to turn into a pretty queen who ruled the kingdom," I say in a childish voice.

"Danny…" Harry sighs.

"I'm just telling the story in a way Weasley will understand."

Even though that earns me an evil glare from across the table, I still continue on with my little fairytale.

"But even magic couldn't fix the hideous pink toad who was so obviously evil. For the record, when I say 'hideous pink toad', I'm really talking about Umbridge."

"Thank you for the clarification, Danny," Harry replies sarcastically.

"So for her to gain the kingdom and keep on ruling it, with an iron fist of course, she needs an army."

"An army?!" Weasley chokes.

"It's still a metaphor, Weasley. When I say army, I mean the Inquisitorial Squad. Anyway, she went to her predecessor's council but since they were still loyal to King… Dumblebee, they refused to help her."

"King Dumblebee?" Weasley frowns.

"Oh, come on! King Dumblebee is obviously professor Dumbledore. That was a giveaway! Must I spell everything out?" I sigh. "Maybe I should just have made a little drawing. Would you have understood that, Weasley? The little puppet with the long beard would have been Dumbledore."

"Can you please stop treating Ron like a retard and continue to explain things to us?" Harry hisses.

"Fine, though a rushed ending isn't a good one," I huff. "So she turned to the… pig farmers for help. She gave them power and in return they helped her keeping the people in line, to make sure no riots would occur. But since the pig farmers abused that power, the way the toad had of course meant it to be, a beautiful, smart, bright, wonderful-"

"Finally getting to your part, are we?" Harry cocks an eyebrow.

"Obviously," I grin. "So, a bright, gorgeous, awesome witch pretended to be a pig farmer as well so she would be granted the same power. Though secretly she had always been loyal to King Dumblebee and his lackey Larry Trotter."

"Larry Trotter?" Harry frowns.

"That's you, mate," Weasley says. "It's a metaphor."

"Thanks," He replies dryly. "Can't you just use normal English, Danny?"

"It's so obvious, Harry." Granger who had been silent until now, seems to at least understand part of my frustration. "It's like Danny said, the teachers aren't willing to help Umbridge with her plans of taking over the school but she can't do it alone. Using students to punish other students is actually quite brilliant, except that she should have only chosen students of who she is sure are against you and against professor Dumbledore. With Danny being a member of the Inquisitorial Squad, we'll know all the plans she has for Hogwarts. We'll still be one step ahead of her."

"Though correct," I say. "You have to admit it is so much better when you tell it in a little story. Now it just sounded boring."

"There is just one thing I don't get." Granger turns to me. "Everyone knows you're Harry's sister. Why would she allow you to be part of the squad?"

"Because this entire year I've been sucking up to her, telling her how great I think it is the Ministry has send such a capable woman to make sure Hogwarts follows the right path. And as far as she knows, I think my brother is a big, fat liar. And when I told her it would greatly upset Harry to see his sister so obviously choose her side, she couldn't say no. Which brings us to the next topic on the agenda. I need you to throw a fit, Harry."

"What?"

"Well, I told her you would be upset. She's been staring at our table for the last five minutes, waiting for you to get angry. Indulge her, will you?"

"I can't just throw a fit on command."

"Of course you can. You're a Potter, it's what we do."

"It's what you do." He points out.

"I'm pretty sure you have the juice as well. Look, I'm going to reach out in a consoling gesture. All you have to do is shrug me off and look thoroughly pissed. Like that."

He does look pissed but that might also be because I'm pushing his buttons. He shrugs me off, says this whole thing is ridiculous and walks out of the Great Hall.

"Don't be like that, Harry! It was the right thing to do!" I still shout after him, to add to the drama effect.

I can tell from the corner of my eye that Umbridge is pleased with the little show and seems to buy it. But the thing is, I did too. Was Harry just playing along or is he actually mad at me?

When I leave the Great Hall as well, Cedric catches up to me.

"Hi." I smile brightly at him.

"Hey, on your way to the common room?" He asks me.

"Of course, I am. We do have a curfew, Head Boy," I gasp mockingly.

"I'll walk you there."

"Thank God you've come to my rescue because I don't remember where it is. I could have roamed the hallways of this dark castle for hours if my knight in shiny armour - well, shiny badge anyway - didn't show up."

"Must you make a mockery out of everything?" He smiles at me.

"It makes life so much better." I laugh while slipping my hand into his.

"I wanted to ask you something," He says after we've already made it to the third floor.

"Oh, oh, that sounds as if I'm in trouble… Am I?"

"No, but first off, what was that fight with Harry about during dinner?"

"Has anyone ever told you you're a bit nosy? I know I've told you several times now but I was wondering if somebody else noticed as well."

"I'm not nosy," He scoffs.

"I didn't say it was a bad thing." I smile. "Though you should be aware that knowledge is dangerous."

"Really?"

"Yes, you have no idea what a burden my intelligence has been," I sigh pitifully.

"I am dating a drama queen," He talks to the ceiling.

"You've only figured that out now? Nosy and slow. I'm not very fortunate, am I?"

"That's not funny," He says seriously.

"Oh, come on. I'm just teasing you." I smile at him before planting a kiss on his cheek.

"I know that but you still haven't answered my question."

"Right… you see, it wasn't a real fight. It was staged."

"You had a staged fight with your brother?" He frowns. "Why?"

"It's a rather long story, that comes in a fairytale version and a boring one. And it starts with this." I point to the silver letter on my robes.

"Yes, I was wondering about that."

"So, which version would you like to hear?"

"The short and clear one."

"Fine, the boring one it is."

I explain the whole thing once more to Cedric, this time without King Dumblebee and Larry Trotter because apparently people do not appreciate fairy tales anymore.

"Okay, I guess it makes sense," He eventually says when we've almost reached the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Good, because I do not want to explain it again," I sigh. "Now, what was that thing you wanted to ask me? I'll be really disappointed if all you wanted to talk about was Harry and Umbridge."

"I wanted to ask you if you would like to go to Hogsmeade with me next weekend."

"Are you asking me out on a date?" I grin.

He nods.

"Wow, our first date! I wonder what a date with Cedric Diggory would be like. What should I wear? What should I say? What if he turns out to be a total tool?" I tease him.

"He won't. And you can wear anything."

"Anything? You are so going to regret those words when I show up in a clown costume. Or maybe even better, I could dress up like Snape."

"Please don't."

"I'll come up with something." I shrug. "and it will dazzle you."

"Already regretting those words."

I laugh and throw my arms around his neck to pull his face closer to mine.

"Since we haven't gone on a date yet, we can't really say we're dating." I wonder out loud.

"Then what are we doing?"

"Well, currently you're blocking the entry to the Gryffindor common room for everyone." A voice comes from my right.

Ginny is standing next to us, apparently trying to get in the common room. It's not like she couldn't just walk around us.

"Jealous?" I grin.

I know I shouldn't tease her with her crush on my brother but it's just so easy. She immediately turns red and looks at the ground when she storms into the common room.

"What was that about?" Cedric frowns.

"She has a crush." I smile.

"On me?"

"What?! No! Why would you think that?"

Did he really think I'd be civil towards Ginny if she had a crush on my boyfriend?

"Because you asked her if she was jealous and then she got all red and refused to look me in the eye."

"She has _a _crush but not on you."

"Good, because that would be awkward," He says.

"Turning someone down because you're already dating someone else is always awkward," I say.

"Well, yes but that's not what I meant. That would be weird because she's your friend."

"What?"

"Don't you think it would be weird if one of my friends was crushing on you?"

"That would totally be weird, especially since they don't like me. But what I meant is that Ginny isn't my friend."

"Really?" He seems to not believe me.

"What made you think we are friends?"

"Because you are. You spend more than the necessary amount of time with her and during the DA meetings you usually team up with her."

"That's because she's good at it. I would team up with Wayne, who is my friend, if his loser friends didn't insist he helps them."

I call them his loser friends but I have no idea who they are. Never spoke them, don't even really know what they look like. But I know I wouldn't like them. I don't like a lot of people. It's nothing personal.

"I know Wayne is your friend, no need to remind me of it."

"Do I detect some jealousy?" I grin because this is oddly pleasing.

"I'm just saying it wouldn't hurt to have a female friend."

"I have-"

".. who is not in France but actually in this castle. And since you don't feel like hitting Ginny every time she opens her mouth, I'd say she's a good candidate."

I want to say no but he makes a point. I mean, how many people are out there who don't make me want to slap them? They're a dying breed.

"You may or may not have a point," I eventually say.

"I will take that as a 'Yes, Cedric, you are so right and clever and handsome'."

"You have a strange interpretation."

"But a correct one."

I can't really argue with that. He is after all right and clever and handsome and a lot of other things I would never even dare to think of. They're dirty.

"I have to go now," He sighs. "I'm on patrol."

"I know." I respond a little too quickly.

"You know?"

Right, I'm pretty sure I haven't told Cedric of my copy of the patrolling schedule, probably because I'm not supposed to have one. Well, it's not like he has to know. Girls have the right to keep some things from their boyfriends. Mostly that's stuff like push-up bras and morning breaths but I guess theft would work as well.

"Yes, I know you have patrol sometimes and I don't make a big deal when you have to leave."

Quick thinking. Nice one, Danny.

"Well, I'm going," He says but doesn't bunch an inch.

"You're not moving though."

"I'm waiting for my goodbye kiss."

"You assume you're getting one?" I tease.

He smiles at me before leaning in and catching me into a blazing kiss. I know this is a horrid cliché and most girls say this about their boyfriends but Cedric is a really good kisser. Though I'm not very objective, am I?

"Now I'm really leaving." He tries to get out of my embrace but I wasn't quite done with kissing him yet.

"Predating the Head Boy is hard," I whine when he eventually manages to slip away.

"What?" He frowns.

"Predating. That's dating without ever having gone on a date. It's like a trial. When the date turns out badly for us, we can decide to not start dating but prematurely end the predating," I tell him earnestly.

I can see his eyes get bigger with every word I say. Maybe I should have been more clear that I'm teasing.

"It's a joke," I eventually say when he seems to take this thing a little too seriously.

"You're not funny." He glares at me.

"I'm not serious either." I laugh before planting one last kiss on his lips and entering the common room.

I sit down next to Harry when I've spotted him across the room. He's actually working on a paper for once.

"You don't have remedial potions today?" I ask him while reading his opinion on why it would not be a good idea to drink Moonseed Poison.

"No," He says simply without taking his eyes of his piece of parchment to look at me.

That's kind of strange. I thought he was supposed to have Legilimens training every day. Maybe Snape is just busy or something. He too might have some trouble now that Dumbledore is gone.

"You're becoming a really good actor." I try to say casually.

"An actor?" He frowns but at least now he's looking at me.

"Yes, in the Great Hall, you really had me convinced you were pissed at me."

"I was," He eventually says.

"Why? I know joining the Inquisitorial Squad is kind of like a knife in the back but only if I didn't tell you. I did tell you and you understand the reason I'm doing this, right?"

"That's not what I'm pissed at. It's not even really you."

"Then what is it?"

"Do you think I'm a lot like dad?"

"What kind of a question is that?" I frown.

I have no idea where that just suddenly came from. Weren't we talking about what pissed him off just seconds ago?

"Well, do you?"

"I guess. You look a lot like him though you don't really like pranking which is strange from someone who has a knack for getting into trouble." I shrug.

"Do you think I'm a bully?"

"What?!" I snort. "You, a bully? Harry, you've get a temper like no one else but you would never pick on the weaker and make people feel bad on purpose. You are the very opposite of a bully. Why are you asking me this?"

"Do you ever think that maybe we don't know our parents as well as we think we do?"

"They're our parents, of course they keep things from us. There are things we don't want to know but we do know our parents. You're actually freaking me out with your weird questions."

"Never mind then," He sighs. "I'm going to bed."

"But it's still way too early." I frown.

"I'm tired," He says before going up the stairs to his dorm.

I have somewhat of a sixth sense to know when something is off with Harry. He is clearly hiding something from me and somehow my parents are involved with it.

_I assume you can all guess what's wrong with Harry this time? If not, maybe it's time to reread the book :)_


	23. Midnight Escapades

_I love __**Le Diablo Blanc2, xXMizz Alec VolturiXx **__and __**Just Another Aceves **__for reviewing the previous chapter! Thank you so much. Don't really have anything else to say so enjoy!_

Chapter 23

In a sense I truly fit into the Inquisitorial Squad because just like those dirty snakes, I'm kind of abusing the power. The other day I gave ten points to Cedric for being a good kisser and I took ten points from Marietta for being a sneak. I also ducked five points from Ravenclaw because Cho Chang is annoying but I reluctantly returned them because Harry got angry over it, telling me it wasn't her fault Marietta blabbed though he doesn't know that wasn't the reason I ducked those points. Of course this happened before Cho got all defensive over her best friend and now she and Harry aren't on talking terms anymore. Not that I'm complaining.

A week has passed since I became a part of the squad and even though the other members went into an uproar over it, Umbridge hasn't come back on her decision. Who knew her hating Harry so much would actually be a good thing? But I should have known that wasn't the only reason she let me join her little team.

After the first meeting I attended, because yes, they have meetings since Umbridge still wants to know everything, she asked me to stay back saying she wanted to talk to me about a 'delicate' matter.

"I have a very special task for you, miss Potter." She smiles sweetly at me.

"And what would that be?"

"I need you to get your brother to tell you everything he and Dumbledore discussed together."

"I'm confused." I frown. "I thought Harry and Dumbledore only had a meeting the night you became the new Headmistress."

Of course I know that isn't true, but Harry and Dumbledore really hardly spoke to each other this year. Harry is still convinced the man was set on avoiding him, a theory I'm starting to feel isn't half as paranoid as it sounds.

"That is what he wanted us to think." She hisses angrily. "The truth is he was working on his army for much longer and Harry Potter was the leader of that organisation. With Dumbledore gone, it will be easier to catch that boy red-handed. That is why you have to tell me everything he tells you concerning the army."

As if!

"Harry and I aren't exactly talking to each other right now. He's still very upset over me joining the Inquisitorial Squad." I say.

Of course that's not true but I couldn't exactly tell her there was no way in hell I'd ever really help her and actually betray my brother's trust.

"Well, the boy will come around and when he does, you will tell me."

"Of course." I nod.

She tells me to try to make amends with Harry as soon as possible before allowing me to leave her office. So Harry was still on her hit list. Should have known she wouldn't get over that grudge easily. Sadly, that means me and Harry will have to pretend we're having a fight. I'd rather not stay away from him right now, he's been acting rather strange lately. Something is obviously bothering him but I'm afraid he won't even tell me if I try to beat it out of him with my broom.

"Harry." I stand behind him at the dinner table.

"Yes?" He turns around and seems to be confused as to why I'm not sitting down.

"I'm going to sit over there." I vaguely point in Lee, George and Fred's direction. "Because as of now, you and I are still in a fight."

"What?" He frowns.

"I'll tell you tomorrow but right now, we're not talking." I say before making my way over to where the odd trio is sitting.

I know that wasn't very clear but I couldn't really tell him in the Great Hall, with Umbridge's prying eyes on us, that we had to have a pretend fight because else the toad will use me for in tell on him.

"Psst, Danny!" Somebody whispers to me when I walk through the Great Hall to go join my new dinner buddies.

I turn to the blond guy sitting at the Hufflepuff table, waving me over.

"Yes?" I walk over to Wayne.

"Are we still on for tonight?" He says softly so no one else can hear us.

"Of course." I nod. "Room of Requirement, in two hours."

"Is that a good idea?" He frowns.

"It's been a brilliant one since the beginning." I scoff at his lack of faith in my ideas.

"I mean doing that at the Room of Requirement, now that Umbridge knows of its existence and what it's been used for."

He does have a point. That room had been the safest place in Hogwarts to test my resistance against Veritaserum but maybe it's not so safe anymore now that our new Headmistress knows about it.

"You're right." I sigh. "Meet me at the prefect's bathroom instead."

"The prefect's bathroom?" He asks me in shock.

"Don't get any ideas! That's just the meeting place, we're not actually going in together." I huff.

He agrees and I can finally sit down to start on my lovely dinner. Fred and George seem to be up to something but whatever it is, me and Lee are apparently not allowed to be in on it. Fine. I have my own secrets anyway.

When I'm about to go up the stairs to get to the common room, I hear Cedric call out my name.

"What's up, boy that I'm predating?" I smile at him.

He gives me a stern look as if to say 'are you serious?'. Why, yes I am.

"Curfew only starts in two hours and since I'm not on patrol tonight, I was hoping you would spend some time with me."

"I would, I really would," I groan. "But I'm kind of busy tonight."

"With what?" He frowns.

"There are just some things I really shouldn't tell you."

"Why not?"

"Because you're Head Boy."

Obviously.

"What are you doing?" He asks me suspiciously.

"It's nothing for you to worry about. If it's of comfort, I'm quite certain Hogwarts doesn't really have a rule against it."

I wasn't one hundred percent sure though.

"The fact that you deem it necessary to tell me that does not ease my worries." He frowns.

"Don't break your pretty head over it." I snicker and place a kiss on his cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow or something.

"Or something?"

"Well, I can't predict the future and since we don't have any classes together, I can only assume we might or might not run into each other in the hallway or the Great Hall. We do however have a date this Saturday." I smile at him.

I was actually kind of nervous about the date we were going to have in three days. I guess not really nervous. More like excitement mixed with the inability to predict the future or my mood. Since he is my boyfriend I don't really have to get nervous at the prospect of a date but it rendered me giddy and agitated nonetheless.

"Saturday it is." He sighs though a small smile is visible on his face.

"I have to go now." I give him one last kiss on the lips before disappearing up the stairs.

When I arrive at the prefect's bathroom one hour later, Wayne isn't there yet. Good thing I've got the map and cloak with me or I probably would be punished by Flinch for being out of bed. But maybe being part of the Inquisitorial Squad also meant I could roam the hallways whenever I wanted. That would be a really nice benefit. I wasn't going to risk it though.

The boy was way too late. He was supposed to be here twenty minutes ago and there was still no sign of the blond. He's usually actually quite punctual. I was starting to think that maybe something was really wrong when I finally saw him round the corner.

"You're late." I pull off the invisibility cloak.

He staggers back in surprise over my sudden appearance.

"I told you not to do that anymore."

But his blame seems less… animated than usually. Something just seemed very off about him suddenly.

"Sorry." I shrug before signalling him to follow me.

Since Wayne keeps questioning me while I'm under the effect of Veritaserum, I had spilled my every secret to him and that included the existence of the invisibility cloak and the Marauders' Map. There was no use hiding it from him now. I hand him the map. He's on the look-out while I search for an abandoned class room that will have to do for our sessions from now on. I had managed to retrieve the potion from the Room of Requirement earlier. Wayne had been right though, it was too risky to spend any more time there.

"I guess this is our new meeting point." I open a door that leads to an empty class room and wait for Wayne to enter it as well before closing the door behind him.

He folds the Map and hands it back to me. He's very quiet for a change. Usually I can't figure out how to make him shut up.

"What's going on with you?" I eventually ask him while pulling out one of the vials with Veritaserum I had been able to get back.

"Is it just me or is the fact that we're no longer doing this in the Room of Requirement making this seem more dangerous than usually?" He frowns while looking around the dark room.

"It's a little late to chicken out now." I point out. "You are already, in the eyes of every judge, my accomplice."

He gives me a small grin before sitting down in front of me.

"Let's get started then. I've come up with some really good questions this time."

I nod before swallowing the tasteless liquid.

"Hit me." I say before sitting down as well.

"Did you talk to Romy?"

"Yes."

What?! Why did he ask me that? Did he know what I had done to his 'oh, so precious' crush?

"Why?" He gives me a look full of agony.

"She's a bitch."

Ha, and it is the freaking truth!

"She told me that she had been playing with my emotions this whole time and that I should leave her alone from now on."

I get that must have upset him but in the long run it really was for the better.

"Did you have something to do with that."

I did practically blackmail her into doing it but I don't want to tell him that. I don't want him to become even sadder and I really did it to help him out. That doesn't mean I'm not completely selfless. I also don't want him to get angry at me over this.

"N-no." I squeak out in such a high pitched voice I'm surprised the glass of the windows didn't break.

Wayne doesn't say anything anymore but just stares at me with an open mouth. Is that a sign he's angry with me?

"Did you just lie to me?"

"Yes." I'm forced to say.

"You lied to me!" He exclaims.

I don't really understand the surprised undertone in his voice. He should know, better than most people, that I'm not exactly the most honest person walking the planet.

"I know." I groan. "But you have to understand that I did so to help you. I didn't want Romy to-"

"No, Danny!" He interrupts me when I'm trying to sort of apologise. "You lied to me."

And that's when it hits me. I'm not supposed to be able to do that! I drank the Veritaserum mere minutes ago. Normally I can't say anything but the truth.

"I lied." I breathe out.

Wayne looks almost as excited as I am with this new accomplishment. I let out a laugh before throwing my arms around him and hugging the life out of him. After all I wouldn't have been able to do that if it wasn't for him.

"Though I am still mad." His muffled voice says.

"I know." I say but right now I'm still too excited to care too much about that.

After I come down from my high, I tell Wayne exactly everything that happened with Romy in the library. Even though I was no longer under the influence of the Veritaserum by the time I reached the end of the story, he believed every word I said.

"When you say it like that, Romy really does sound like an awful girl." He sighs.

I cock an eyebrow at him.

"You don't understand, there's a good side to her as well. Obviously you haven't witnessed it yet but do you really think I would fall for a girl who was nothing but horrible?"

I want to say no but then I remember that's pretty much what Cedric did. Maybe it was a Hufflepuff thing.

"She's close friends with my sister. I've known her my whole life. I've been in love with her my whole life." He sighs pitifully.

I feel sorry for my friend. We don't choose who we fall in love with and he had the misfortune to fall in love with a world-class bitch. I thank my lucky stars I was more fortunate.

"Are you angry that I got involved?" I ask him eventually.

"Well, it really was none of your business." He glares at me. "But maybe this is what I need to cut myself loose from her."

"So I'm off the hook?" I look at him hopefully.

"No, you're not." He scoffs. "You meddled. And you'll have to make up for that."

"How?"

He seems to think on that for a while.

"I know!" He suddenly exclaims. "You have to test the Veritaserum on me as well."

"What?"

"I want to be able to lie as well under the influence of the potion."

"Why didn't you ask me that from the start?" I frown.

It would have made more sense than him suddenly asking this now. We also don't have a lot of weeks left anymore before the end of the school year.

"Honestly? I didn't think it was possible and thought you were stupid for trying."

I huff.

"But now I see that it is possible and I want to be able to do it as well. I'm not a fool, Danny. Romy may have treated me as one but I'm not. Bad things are coming our way and I want to be prepared for it."

"You think that will prepare you for it?"

What was he going to do? Lie his way to survival?

"I think you will prepare me for it." He admits.

"Me?" I frown in confusion.

"Yes. You, Danny Potter, have the strongest survival instincts in this whole castle and if I want to make it to graduation unharmed, I think the best way to do that is by remaining by your side."

His compliment renders me speechless for a moment. I never would have picked me out as the person to depend on. When a war breaks out wouldn't you prefer Harry by your side instead of me? But Wayne seems to have a different opinion about it.

"Thank you." I sincerely say, knowing he doesn't fully understand all the things I'm thanking him for.

"We'll try again tomorrow?" He asks me before each of us has to take a different hallway to return to our common rooms.

"Yep, same class room." I smile at him before rounding the corner.

The next two evenings I meet up with Wayne and we practice on both mine and his resistance against Veritaserum. Since he just started with it, there's no way he can tell me anything that isn't the honest truth. So far I've discovered that he had a little crush on me at the beginning of the year though not nearly as big as on Romy who he has been in love with forever, he loves romance novels though he won't admit that to anyone and he used to play make up doll for his sister when they were younger and secretly loved it.

I somehow manage to occasionally sneak in a lie when we stumble upon a subject I really do not want to discuss and even though it is clearly a lie since I have a lot of difficulties pronouncing those dishonest words, it's still an improvement.

"I'm hungry." Wayne whines when we both leave the empty classroom for the night.

"We could make a trip by the kitchens?" I suggest.

He eagerly agrees and we quickly make it to the kitchens where we are, as usually, greeted by a whole horde of over-achieving house elves. We sit down at the table, waiting for the food to arrive while Wayne is once again analysing the Marauders' Map.

"This is amazing." He sighs.

"I know. You only tell me every day."

"But this is really complex magic and your father and his friends were able to make it when they were our age! Why are you not amazed?!" He exclaims his profound admiration for the members of my family.

"I don't know." I shrug. "I'm kind of used to them doing complicated magic out of their league. Besides, they weren't our age. They were one year older."

"As if that matters!" He scoffs. "It's still mind-blowing."

"When you are done with the drooling, could I have it back?" I reach out my hand to the map but Wayne keeps it out of reach for me.

"Can I keep it for five more minutes?" He pouts.

"Fine, but you better not get any stains on it." I warn him before diving into the plate of baked goods one of the house elves has set in front of me.

"You know what you need?" I manage to say in between bites.

"What do I need?" He cocks an eyebrow at me.

"You need a new girl to pine after, someone better and approved by me beforehand."

"I've only just realised Romy isn't good for me and you already want to set me up with someone else?" He frowns.

"You said so yourself. The best way to get over someone…"

"I know and you made a dirty version out of it." He grins.

"You know who would be great for you?" I wonder out loud.

"Who?" He asks though he's clearly not that interested in my answer since he's more concerned with what to pile onto his plate next instead of looking me in the eye.

"Charlotte."

He looks up now and gives me a strange look.

"Charlotte?" He asks.

I nod.

"As in one of your friends at Beauxbatons?"

I nod once more.

"Well, that might be a bit difficult, don't you think? Since she lives in France!"

"That's a minor obstacle for true love."

"Then there's also the fact that I haven't met her." He points out.

"I could set up a blind date." I smile, excited with the prospect of it.

They really would be great together. They're quite similar actually. I am certain they would hit it off right away if given the chance.

"That's a bad idea."

"Why?" I whine because I had really wanted to set up a blind date for the two of them.

"I would kind of like for things to be easier with the next girl and no offence to your friend but she sounds like a whole lot of trouble."

Well, he has a point there.

"Fine," I huff. "I'll come up with someone else then since apparently nationality is an important factor."

We continue to eat when suddenly another possibility comes to mind.

"What about Ginny?"

"Weasley?"

"You're so quick." I say sarcastically. 'Yes, of course Ginny Weasley. She's nice."

"I don't doubt the fact that she's nice but there is of course the fact that she's already dating someone."

Michael Corner isn't really of any importance. I barely give that relationship another month.

"And that she is obviously in love with your brother." He adds.

"You know that?" I look at him in surprise.

"I think everyone but Harry and Michael know. She's not very good at hiding it."

Wrong, I'm pretty sure Weasley doesn't have a clue either but then again that's more on him being stupid than on his sister being terrible at hiding her feelings.

Me and Wayne talk about things that happened to us during the years we hadn't met yet. I think I might have found a good new partner in crime in him. Which is a good thing since Charlotte is in another country, the Weasley twins are too preoccupied doing who knows what and Noa is… well, I don't know how Noa is doing. I haven't spoken to her since she came to see me at Hogsmeade and that was many weeks ago. I do find myself harbouring less anger towards her but I don't think I'm quite ready yet to talk to her again.

"It's probably time for us to go back. Besides, you need your beauty sleep if you want to dazzle Cedric on your date tomorrow." He grins

I pull a face.

"What kind of reaction is that to the prospect of a date with your boyfriend?" He frowns in confusion and shock.

"I know." I sigh. "But strangely enough I'm not really looking forward to it. It makes me all sweaty and nervous."

"You're nervous about going on a date with your boyfriend?" He scoffs as a mockery.

"I'm aware that's stupid but I… What if Cedric suddenly expects me to be all girly and nice on this date. Because that's what you're supposed to do on a date. Pretend to be someone you're not, preferably someone more likeable."

Wayne looks at me as if he's in deep thought.

"That's stupid." He eventually says.

"You're no help at all." I sigh. "Can you just give me the Map so I can go to my dorm and worry about my first though not really date with Cedric?"

I reach out my hand so he can hand over the Map but instead he gives me a dumb expression.

"What?" I ask him.

"I thought you had the Map." He admits.

"You're joking, right?" I try to see if maybe he's hiding it behind his back but clearly he isn't. "Are you fucking kidding me?! You lost the Map!"

"I didn't lose it. I must have left it in the kitchens." He gives me a sheepish smile.

"Idiot!" I grumble before dragging his ass back to the kitchens.

Unfortunately we don't quite safely make it back there. With no Map and no cloak since Harry had needed it tonight for some mysterious reason, the chance of getting caught out of bed was suddenly considerably higher. I freak out the moment we hear footsteps approaching us from the other side.

"Here, Danny." Wayne whisper yells at me while pointing at the door of another empty class room.

It's not as if I could be picky when it comes to hiding places right now. That class room is most likely the first place the owner of the footsteps would look in if he suspects there are students out of bed. I quickly follow him inside and close the door anyway. The classroom has, as I had suspected, no corners or creaks we could hide in. When that door opens, we'll immediately be discovered.

"This is a terrible hiding spot." I sigh annoyed.

"It will be fine. We'll never get-"

Wayne doesn't even get to finish his phrase because the door does open and we do get caught.

"You were saying?" I hiss angrily at him while the prefect standing in the door way gives us both what I'm sure is supposed to be a reprimanding look.

"Well, what do we have here? A couple of lovebirds out after hours."

"What?!" I sputter. "That is not what this is at all!"

"Really? Is there another reason for a boy and girl to be out of bed at such a late hour?"

You know, just testing out Veritaserum on my fellow student and me. Nothing strange at all.

"No." I mutter, fully realising telling the truth would only make this situation worse.

"You're not going to tell a teacher, are you?" Wayne stupidly asks.

The Ravenclaw prefect doesn't even answer us. Instead he just drags us along to the nearest teacher's office and unfortunately for me that's McGonagall's. If Harry had just let me use that love potions on the prefects, I wouldn't be in this mess right now. Then I could have just batted my eyelashes out of it.

"This is your fault." I glare at Wayne while the prefect explains the situation to McGonagall who doesn't seem too pleased with being called out of bed for this.

"Well, since you interfered with Romy I guess we're even now." He whispers back at me.

"You already forgave me for that."

"I lied." He hisses.

I gasp and am about to call him a whole array of dirty names when McGonagall suddenly stands in front of us, no sign left of the snitch.

"Miss Potter, Mr Hopkins, can you explain to me why you found it necessary to leave you dorms in the middle of the night while you are both very much aware of the fact that such a thing is against the rules?" She says in that typical stern voice.

"We forgot?" Wayne tries but gets quickly killed by the look she throws him.

"You do not realise how fortunate you two are Mr Hilliard brought you to me and not to our new headmistress." She can't even say her title without a look of distaste passing her face. I'm with you there, Minerva! "She does not tolerate any breaking of the rules as the both of you should be aware of."

Does that mean she knows we're part of the DA?

"Two weeks detention for each of you. I expect you in my office at eight, starting Monday."

That's it? No lecture? No spanking? Maybe she's going soft. But me and Wayne aren't stupid enough to question her sudden lack of reprimanding and quickly get on our feet.

"Miss Potter," She calls me back when I am about to leave the room as well.

"Yes?" I turn to her.

"I expect you to be more careful from now on. You may think you have secured a safe position for yourself," She points to the silver letter on my robes. "But you might end up being terribly mistaken."

I nod. That was a clear warning. Do not underestimate Umbridge and I was not planning on doing so.

Me and Wayne walk back to our common rooms in silence and only mutter a goodbye once it's time for us to part ways. It's is only when I am back in my dorm, changed clothes, brushed my teeth and climbed under the covers that I realise I still haven't retrieved the Map. Damn Wayne!

_Not a lot of Danny/ Cedric moments in this chapter but if it's any consolation, the next chapter is on their first date! :D_


	24. The Marauders' Map

_Thank you __**Just Another Aceves, xXMizz Alec VolturiXx **__and __**purplecheer14 **__for your great reviews. _

Chapter 24

At the beginning of the year Harry gave me the Marauders' Map, saying it belonged to me now. Technically that made it my responsibility and as the rightful owner of the Map I couldn't trust anyone with the very important job of retrieving the magical object from the kitchens. Unfortunately that meant there is no way I could possibly go and retrieve it and make it on time for my date with Cedric today. I just hope he has the patience to wait for me.

"Miss Potter, back so soon?!" An eager house elf almost attacks me when I set once again foot in the kitchen. "Would you like waffles? Or pancakes? We could also make you-"

"I'm sorry," I cut the elf short. "I didn't come to eat. I left something here last night, something very important to me. Have you seen it? It's a piece of blank parchment."

The elf looks at me as though he finds me very strange to value a blank piece of parchment so much.

"Hooky saw it!" Another elf with a squeaky voice pitches in.

"You did?" I hopefully turn to the other elf.

"Yes, it was mean parchment. It said a lot of mean things to Hooky. It was demonic so Hooky went to throw it in there."

I follow the finger of the house elf to the fire place in the kitchen.

"You burned it!?" I shriek.

"Hooky tried to burn the evil parchment but couldn't."

"What?" I breathe out, hoping that it was not too late for my precious Map.

"Dobby tried to stop Hooky from throwing it in. Dobby said he would return it to owner."

"Dobby has the Map?"

The elf named Hooky nods his little head. I let out a sigh of relief. Thank you, Dobby!

"Where is Dobby now?"

But the elf didn't know, nor did any of the other elves in the kitchens. How freaking hard can it be to retrieve a map?! I am never handing it to anyone ever again, especially not Wayne.

Dobby apparently said he would return the map to its owner meaning he probably went to hand it back to Harry since the elf could have only seen the map in his possession. But where the hell was Harry?

I know he has once again a detention with Umbridge today and can therefore not go to Hogsmeade but that's not supposed to start until later in the day. He had breakfast at the same time as me so he won't be in the Great Hall anymore either. Let's just hope he's in the common room.

I could just trust the fact that the Map would eventually end up with Harry and go on my date with Cedric who is probably wondering what is taking me so long but I had to know for sure.

But Harry wasn't in the common room either. Or in his dorm. I find it very unlikely that he would be in the library so we can skip that option. What is left?

"Dobby?" I try calling out to the elf knowing it has worked for Harry in the past many times but apparently he doesn't want to answer to me.

"What are you doing?" Weasley frowns at me when he enters the common room.

Weasley! Surely he would know where Harry is.

"Where is Harry?!" I grip his shoulders tightly.

"You're kind of hurting me." He tries to wiggle out of my grasp.

"Where. Is. He?" I grunt out.

"Owlery, I think," He eventually says.

I race out of the common room and to the owlery at full speed. You'd think I'd have a better physical condition with all the training Angelina has put me through but I still arrive at the owlery completely out of breath. At least Weasley was right because huffing and puffing me is greeted by my brother.

"Danny?" He frowns and looks a bit concerned when it takes me several minutes to squeeze out words.

"Where… is… it?" I breathe out.

"Where is what?"

You have got to be kidding me! He doesn't have the Map? Dobby has had all the time in the world to return it to him. All the freaking elf has to do is blink and he's already at the desired destination.

"Dobby didn't talk to you?"

"You mean did Dobby tell me you were in the kitchens last night and left the Map there? He might have mentioned it."

"You have the Map?"

He nods and pulls out the precious object out of his pocket.

"Oh, Thank God!" I grab it out of his hands. "I'm never leaving you again!"

"Don't you think you're being a bit melodramatic?" He gives me an amused look.

"The success of my future pranks depends on this." I wave the Map in front of him. "I cannot possibly exaggerate when it comes to this."

"Just take better care of it," He sighs.

I nod and carefully put the Map away.

"You look nice," He suddenly says to me.

"Thank you." I smile at him.

"How come you look nice?"

"Are you saying I look like shit every other day?" I scoff.

"Of course not," He quickly says. "I just think you look as if you've put more effort in your appearance today. Why is that?"

"I have a date with Cedric."

"When?"

"About," I glance at the big clock. "forty minutes ago."

Fuck! This took up much more of my time than I had intended.

"I'm not an expert on dating but aren't you supposed to come on time?"

I agree with him, quickly say goodbye and once again race through the entire castle, hoping Cedric hasn't given up waiting just yet.

When I run into the court yard where we had agreed to meet, I see Cedric standing with a very annoyed expression on his face. Well, at least he waited. I can't have expected for him to also still be in a good mood.

"I am so, so sorry," I breathe out once I stand in front of him. "There was something really urgent I had to do and I thought it would only take five minutes. But then it wasn't where I thought it was and then he wasn't where I thought he was and I ran through all of Hogwarts but now I'm here."

"You know, we don't have to do this, Danny," He says with a blank expression on his face.

"But I want to," I say quickly.

He nods and walks in the direction of the carriages that will take us to the small town. I kind of follow after him like a lost puppy but I figured this was not the time to complain about him not being a gentleman since it wasn't exactly proper to keep him waiting for almost an hour either.

The ride in the carriage to Hogsmeade is silent. Usually we continuously talk but Cedric doesn't really appear to be in a chatty mood and I'm afraid anything that leaves my mouth might just make it worse.

So far this hasn't turned out to be a great first date. Cedric won't look me in the eye and I refuse to open my mouth. Oh, the joy.

"So…" I start. "How was your week?"

Lame, I know but I needed to say something and I figured that was a question I couldn't go wrong with. Cedric just grumbles out a 'good' and then it's silent again.

I try to come up with ways to break the ice that apparently formed during the time Cedric had to wait for me but I come up blank. I've thought about asking him about his preparation for the Newts but I thought that might just remind him of stressful times to come. I figured I could ask him how his Head Boy duties were going but I realised in time that such a thing might make him stressed as well. I refuse to talk about something as ridiculously trivial as the weather so instead I chose to remain silent even though such a thing is making me nervous and uncomfortable.

When we arrive at Hogsmeade, we get out of the carriage and start to aimlessly walk along the streets. Still in silence of course.

"Where do you want to go?" I ask him eventually.

He simply shrugs and continues walking. God, this is frustrating. I get that he's angry I made him wait for so long but this was getting ridiculous.

"Is it okay if we go to Zonko's first?"

He doesn't answer me but starts walking in the direction of the shop anyway. If he's going to be like this the whole day, I wish I told him I didn't want to go anymore when he asked me.

While I marvel at all the new candy on the shelves and try to figure what I'll spend my money on and what will have to wait for the next trip, Cedric stands on the side, glaring at the air. I sigh. This is not at all what I had imagined for today. I figured he would be all smiles and optimism like he always is and even if I had not been in a great mood, his would have soon affected mine. It sure was now but it was rather making me depressed and moody.

"Your date looks like it's going great," A sarcastic voice says next to me.

I turn to Ginny Weasley who is now standing at my left side and looks in the direction of my glaring boyfriend.

"Tell me about it," I sigh.

"What happened?"

"I made him wait a really long time before showing up."

"Really?" She frowns while glancing another look at Cedric. "I wouldn't think he'd look that angry over it. You didn't do anything else?"

"No," I scoff but then I think maybe I did.

I don't always know when I've done something wrong so maybe I had done something to aggravate him and earn this cold behaviour.

"Did you apologise?"

"What kind of a horrid girlfriend do you think I am?" I say annoyed at the redhead. I'm not that bad. "Of course I did."

"And what did he say?"

"He changed the subject," I mutter.

I guess that means he hasn't forgiven me yet. But Ginny is right. Cedric isn't really a person to stay that angry about something like that for that long. He's barely said a word to me today.

"Maybe you should try again?" She shrugs.

I agree. It can't hurt to apologise twice, right?

After paying for the things I had eventually settled for, Cedric and I are back on the street and - you guessed it - in silence.

"Cedric?"

He grunts out a response that I can't understand but I figured it might be best that I didn't.

"I really am sorry."

"For what?" He looks at me.

It's not a 'for what' that indicates he can't think of anything I would need to apologise for. No, it's one that clearly says to me there are apparently several things I should be begging on my knees for forgiveness to him for.

"Because I was late?"

I don't think it's the right answer and when his eyes narrow I know it wasn't.

"Could you maybe give me a hint as to what I need to apologise for?"

"You don't know?"

He sounds angry. I don't like it when he's angry with me.

"No…"

"You haven't done anything stupid and selfish lately?"

"I'm Danny." I point out. "I do selfish stupid things all the time."

"But never before something that would deliberately hurt me."

"I would never hurt you," I say softly.

He's silent once again and refuses to meet my eye.

"Why would you think I would hurt you?"

The fact that he thinks such a thing upsets me.

"Where were you last night?" He changes the subject, or at least I think he is.

"What?"

How is that in any way related to the conversation we were just having?

"Where were you last night?" He repeats the question.

"Why are you asking me that?" I frown in confusion.

"I was on patrol last night."

I knew that.

"And when I ran into Robert, he told me all was quiet. He only caught a couple of love birds in an empty classroom. He said I might know one of them since he had seen me talking to her often."

Oh.

"It's not like that at all," I quickly say.

"Really? That's all you have to say?" He says coldly.

"Wayne and I weren't doing anything. We just heard footsteps after curfew and had the sense to hide in the first available place."

"Then why did Robert tell me you were a couple?"

"When he walked in, he assumed we were a couple. We didn't correct him because then we'd have to tell the real reason we were out so late."

"That reason being what exactly?"

I could tell he didn't quite believe me but at least he was willing to listen to my explanation. He wants to believe me.

"We went to the kitchens," I say.

It's not the full truth but it wasn't a lie either. We really did go to the kitchens.

"I can tell when you're lying," He grumbles angrily.

"I'm not lying. We went to the kitchens. It's not all we did but that's why we got caught, because Wayne forgot the Map and that's also why I was late this morning. Since we got caught, I didn't have the chance to return to the kitchens and retrieve it so I had to do it this morning. But then apparently the house elves had some kind of tug war over it and then it got returned to Harry but I couldn't find him. That's why I was late."

He stares at me as if he hasn't understood any word I just said. I guess it wouldn't make a lot of sense if you didn't know everything.

"What it this Map you talk of?" He eventually asks me.

I sigh. It's not something I just can tell everyone and even though Cedric has proven in the past that he can keep a secret, the fact that he's Head Boy really makes it harder for me to fully trust him.

But eventually I do pull out the Map I had folded away and push it against his chest.

"I trust you," I say slowly, emphasizing every word so he knows how important it is he doesn't tell anyone about this.

He takes the Map and turns it around in his hands a couple of times before giving me an annoyed expression.

"It's blank."

"Well, not everyone can just read it," I scoff.

As if the Marauders would have made something that just anyone could lay their eyes on.

He glowers at the piece of parchment before pointing his wand to it, demanding it shows its true content. I roll my eyes. Did he really think that would work?

He almost gloats when he sees words forming on the parchment. Little does he know he won't be pleased with it. I stand next to him so I can read what it says.

_Mr. Wormtail thinks that Cedric Diggory is too lanky for his own good._

"Wha-?" Cedric says but doesn't even finish his exclamation of surprise since another line is soon added.

_Mr. Moony is appalled that Cedric Diggory thinks their master piece could so easily be revealed._

_Mr. Padfoot agrees and would like to remind Cedric Diggory of the fact that nosy people get their nose bitten off._

Cedric quickly puts the Map a little further away from his face and I can't help but snicker over his sudden fear of the parchment.

_Mr. Prongs warns Cedric Diggory to keep his greasy hands to himself or he will find himself without them. _

"They're quite violent this time." I muse.

"What is this?" Cedric looks down at me.

"I hate to agree with him on anything but you are quite lanky." I smile upwards.

"Danny…" He sighs but he sounds more confused than annoyed.

I take the Map back and lead Cedric to a more secluded part.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," I say while tapping my wand on the Map.

Soon lines start to spread over it to reveal our entire castle. I hand it back to Cedric so he can examine it.

"Is that… a map of Hogwarts?" He looks at it with wide eyes.

I nod.

"Where on earth did you get this?" He turns back to me after he's traced every single line on the Map.

"It's a legacy." I simply shrug. "It belonged to the Marauders."

"Who?" He frowns.

"The Marauders: Prongs, Padfoot, Moony and Wormtail." I can't help but vomit a little in my mouth when I have to say his name. "Also known as James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew. They made the Map when they were at Hogwarts and gave it to Harry and me."

"James Potter, your father?"

I nod.

"Greasy hands…" He says to himself, understanding why Prongs had told him that. "This is amazing."

"So I've been told." I shrug.

"Imagine what you could do with it."

I look at him in surprise. Did the Head Boy just suggest that I should use it to pull off mischief? I grin. Maybe he would like to be a partner in crime as well. I'm sure he'd be good at it.

"With this, we'd always know what students are out of bed." He smiles.

Seriously!?

I quickly grab the Map out of his hands and glare at him.

"Didn't you hear how to open the Map? It is to be used for rule-breaking escapades, not to perform your Head Boy duties," I say, appalled at the idea of it. I gently pat the precious Map. "He didn't mean it."

"Is this the reason that you've barely had any detention this year though I know you do a lot of things that would get you many more?"

I don't reply but the grin on my face is answer enough.

"And you were late this morning because you had to look for it after you lost it?"

"Wayne lost it!" I correct him.

"So Wayne knew about this?" He point to the Map.

"I didn't tell him voluntarily," I say, hoping it would make a difference.

"Then what happened? And what were you doing with him, other than eating?"

Well, I better tell him the whole thing now or he'll keep on believing I cheated on him. I could just tell him that I wanted to be able to resist Veritaserum but I'd much rather tell him the complete truth, without telling him that Voldemort has access to Harry's brain of course.

"Do you know what Legilimency is?" I ask.

I figured he would because he's smart and all. But when he shakes his head, I remind myself of the fact that it's dark magic not a lot of people are aware of.

"It's a form of magic that penetrates the mind," I tell him.

"Penetrates the mind?" He frowns.

"Kind of like mind-reading, I guess. A witch or wizard who has perfected the art of Legilimency is called a Legilimens and can get inside one's head and gain access to all their memories."

"Are you one?" He frowns, clearly not comfortable with that possibility.

"No." I assure him. "It's very difficult and rare but that doesn't mean they don't exist. For example, Voldemort is one."

I'm pleasantly surprised when Cedric doesn't wince at the mention of the most feared wizard of all times.

"The only way to make sure he can't enter your mind is to become an Occlumens. It's the opposite, the art of closing your mind against intrusion. I want to become one."

"An Occlumens?"

I nod. At least he's not shouting that it's a stupid idea but he also hasn't heard yet how I asked Wayne to put me under the Imperius Curse.

"How do you become one?"

"Well, of course it's very hard and nearly impossible for most people."

Don't know why I think I can pull it off.

"It takes amazing will power and emotional restrain."

"Emotional restrain?" He cocks an eyebrow.

"Yes, I know that doesn't exactly sound like me but it's very important I accomplish this. The best way to do that is to have a Legilimens invade your mind."

"Is that painful?"

"Apparently."

It must be if I hear how hard it is on Harry. The Veritaserum is a lot more pleasant, still embarrassing of course.

"But since Legilimens don't exactly grow on trees, I had come up with an alternative way. And that's what I needed Wayne's help for."

"What alternative way?"

I bite my lip nervously. There is no way he won't get mad over the next part. I just hope it can be any consolation Wayne didn't go through with it.

"Another way would be to resist the Imperius Curse."

Silence again. He just stares at me for a while until finally his eyes narrow in anger and he almost growls angrily.

"Wayne put you under the Imperius Curse?" He tries to stay calm but I can see the anger in his eyes, just waiting to be released.

"No, I asked him to do it but he refused," I softly say.

"YOU ASKED HIM TO IMP-" He starts shouting but I quickly clasp my hand in front of his mouth. I can't have him announce such a thing to the entire wizard town.

"Don't yell." I warn him before taking my hand back.

"Don't yell?!" He hisses angrily. "Are you completely insane? Why would you ask such a thing?!"

"He didn't even do it. And besides, it's only the Imperius Curse. It's not like it would have hurt or killed me."

He stares at me with an open mouth and all kinds of emotions crossing over his face. Disbelief, shock but mostly anger. Lots and lots of anger.

"You are crazy! That's an unforgivable curse! There is something seriously wrong with you, Danny."

He shakes his head, sends me a sad look and walks away.

"Where are you going?" I ask him.

"Away from you."

Normally I would have been furious that he left me here but when he said I was insane and that there was something disturbingly wrong with me, he had really meant it. I couldn't exactly blame him for that but it still hurt. A lot. Not to mention the fact that he clearly wanted to get as far away from me now as possible.

I waited a few minutes, thinking he might change his mind and return. But he didn't and eventually I was forced to go back to the castle by myself. As far as first dates go, this was the worst one ever.

I wanted to talk to him during dinner but I had no idea what I would say to him. I couldn't apologise for something I felt no regret over. That would be lying and even though I'm rather good at it, I didn't want to lie to him now that I had finally started being honest with him. I know he would want to hear an apology and since I couldn't give that to him, what was the point of talking to him in the first place?

"What are you looking at?" Harry asked me when he sat down at dinner.

"Nothing," I sigh miserably, turning my gaze away from Cedric who was talking animatedly with his stupid friends.

I look at Harry and almost let it slip that he looks on edge. A quick glance to the table of the professors tells me Umbridge isn't present tonight.

"I thought I told you we are in a fight?" I say to him.

He had reluctantly agreed not to talk to me too often in public, which I really hate, but apparently tonight he decided against it.

"It doesn't really matter. Umbridge will find a way to get me to talk."

"How?" I frown.

If Harry wanted to keep his mouth shut about everything around her, there was fairly little she could do about it.

"She summoned me to her office today."

"Why?"

"To talk. She asked me about Dumbledore and his plans. The entire time she stared at me and my drink intensely as if she expected for me to tell her the truth."

"You didn't, right?"

I don't doubt Harry kept his mouth shut but the way he said it sounded as if it had been a hard thing to do.

"I didn't but I think I would have if I drank my tea."

"What?" I frown in confusion.

"She kept insisting for me to drink it. I think she put Veritaserum in it."

"WHAT?!" I shout out, attracting a lot of attention from other students but I simply ignore it. "She did what?!"

"Well, I heard she used it on some students before. It makes sense she would try it on me."

"That has got to be illegal!"

Look who's talking though.

I've read somewhere before that it is against the law to use Veritaserum on minors. Surely that means she can't use it on students, right?

"I don't think she cares about that. I'm quite lucky I didn't drink it."

"But other people have. On the other hand, it's not like you actually know anything about Dumbledore's plans but it would be really bad if you spilled the beans about Voldemort's voice in your head and your Legilimency classes with Snape."

He shifts a little uncomfortably in his seat. Of course he wouldn't want her to know that.

"Just don't visit her for tea, Danny," He says. "You don't know his plans either but you'll be declared insane if you talk about the weird connection you have with me."

I certainly would be. Plus, Umbridge still thinks I'm on her side as far as I know. She won't use it on me soon. But… maybe she should. Oh, I'm a fucking genius.

"Are you okay?" Harry asks me in concern when a maniacal grin spreads across my face.

"We're not fighting anymore." I snap out of it.

"Why not?" He frowns.

"Because we want her to distrust me." I grin.

"Since when? I thought you sucked up this entire time so that she'd think you're on her side."

"That was so last week, Harry. Plans change."

What's more important than getting Umbridge to think I'll be her little lap dog is getting her off Harry's case. She will only believe he knows nothing if I tell her so, under the influence of Veritaserum. Fortunately for me, I'm building up a resistance against it.

"I don't see how this is a better plan."

"Believe me, it is. Don't worry about any of it."

I corner Wayne in the hallway after dinner, demanding that he meets up with me again tonight for the Veritaserum resistance lessons or whatever you want to call it. Even though he didn't seem too pleased about it, he agreed. That's how we found ourselves once again in the empty classroom tonight while I explained to him the reason this became top priority.

"You want to lie to Umbridge when you drank Veritaserum?" He asks me in disbelief.

I nod.

"You will never be able to pull that off."

"Of course I can," I scoff. "I've been able to lie to you."

"You can't possible compare that to lying to Umbridge because one, when you lie to me you're barely able to pronounce the words, let along make it look like you're telling the truth because you're forced to do so. And two, you can't lie to the woman who has perfected the art of questioning people."

"She did not perfect the art of questioning people. She perfected the art of bullying students. That is not the same thing by a long shot."

"Either way, you can't possibly do it."

"It's nice to know you have so much faith in me," I huff.

Couldn't he just side with me on this?

"I'm trying to be realistic here. I'm sorry but I think such a thing is not within our league."

"I wasn't asking for your opinion, just your cooperation."

"I don't think-"

"Please?" I beg him with my eyes until he eventually sighs and gives in.

"But if this turns out badly, remember I tried to warn you."

"Deal." I beam at the prospect of truly fooling Umbridge this time.

_Okay, I feel like I kind of cheated. Because yes, the chapter was on Danny and Cedric's date but I'm sure this wasn't the romantic chapter you hoped/expected it to be. But I felt that they needed a fight about the fact that there are so many things he doesn't know about her. _


End file.
